Your front yard and backyard should be beautiful, but they should also work for you. Believe it or not, the right landscapes can save you money. As the Phoenix experts on landscaping, let us give you a few tips on how to best set up your yard to cut your energy bills.
Keep It Cool
Since the biggest contributor to your energy bill is most likely your air conditioning, especially in the blistering heat of the Southwest, we’re going to focus on how to keep your yard cool to lower your home’s energy consumption.
What’s on the Ground?
Let’s start at the bottom; what is on the ground in your yard? The material you use as your groundcover can impact how hot your yard gets. Avoid concrete and especially asphalt as much as possible. These materials keep in heat supremely well, and continue to let it off after the sun goes down. When selecting gravel, try to keep something fairly neutral-colored in mind; something too reflective will bounce a bunch of heat back at your house (plus be hard to look at on clear days, which we have plenty of), while something too dark could have the same heat-absorption problems posed by asphalt.
One of the best ways to keep the yard cool would be with grass or water features. These, however, pose a trade-off compared to rock groundcovers. Lawns do not absorb or retain heat as much as their rocky counterparts, but they do require considerable amounts of water, as would ponds. They are an excellent choice, but keep in mind this is essentially giving up water efficiency for the sake of energy efficiency—not a bad trade-off, but not the most economical.
Shade
The other primary consideration when landscaping is shade. The best place for tall trees or ramadas/overhangs is close to the house, particularly around light-loving windows. Your home appreciates protection from the heat just as much as you do! If practical, focus especially on giving shade to the west part of the building, as that’s where the sun hits during the hottest part of the day.
If you want to be really thorough, you could also consider plantings, berms, and walls a short distance from the house. These essentially act as insulators, keeping the house cool when it’s air-conditioned and helping it retain heat in the winter
Why Choose Us?
Landscaping is hard labor that requires vision and experience. With something that will last as long as your yard, make sure you get the right people for the job. New Image Landscape and Pools will get your job done for a fair market price and leave you happy with both the process and results. If you have our doubts, just check our testimonials page! Call us up at 480-654-4422 and set up an appointment for a free quote, or just get our advice. We’ll help you beautify your space and save money!
