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A good landscaping job can do more than increase the value of a home. Trees, for instance, can help reduce energy bills by 20 to 25 percent. Trees might provide shade in the hot summer months, reducing air-conditioning costs. Some trees drop their leaves in winter, so that warm sunshine provides free heat. In addition to the pleasant appearance of foliage in the yard, there are important factors found there that can affect the characteristics of a home. The soils around and under a home have to be prepared for the foundations before construction, at which time systems are put in place to drain moisture away from the house. Drainage systems, septic planning, water level, and soil type are all important sitework considerations to be addressed long before landscaping begins.
Through ToolBase and the PATH Technology Inventory, PATH offers a list of new technologies and systems that can help homeowners make better decisions about how to plan a site for a new home, as well as to care for the areas around an existing home.
Content updated on 10/29/2004