Keeping Cool

Keeping your house cool in the summer while keeping energy costs to a minimum is a never ending homeowner challenge. According to the US Department of Energy air conditioners use up to 1/6th of the nation’s electricity and consume 43% of the U.S. peak power load on hot summer days. Some of the best ways to block heat and keep your house cool are provided by Mother Nature herself. Trees offer shade, and shading is one of the most simple and effective ways to cool your home while lowering your energy bill. The Department of Energy estimates that trees properly placed around a home can save the owner between $100 and $250 in energy costs. It’s too bad that our new neighbor up the street didn’t have privy to this information upon moving in, when they proceeded to remove several healthy mature shade trees from the south and west perimeters of their property. I imagine that their first electric bill this summer will have them wishing they could have those trees back. But like I learned at age five when I decided to cut my ponytail off, you can’t just glue it back on. It will grow back, but it takes a long, long time.