A little bit of hard work and perspiration this spring could save Iowans a lot of sweat during the dog days of summer. D-N-R forestry expert Ken Holman says planting trees to shade your home’s west-facing windows can cut air conditioning costs significantly. Holman says “The estimates are from 20 to 40-percent depending on the age of the house, the insulation and other factors.” It’s not just in the summertime when you’ll be saving. Holman says shade trees, in combination with a row of evergreens farther out to the north and the west of your house can help reduce the in-flow of cold air during the winter. Holman says “Because even in the winter time when the leaves are off a deciduous tree, the shade from the branches and trunk of the tree will cut down on the solar gain that you would get in south facing windows from the low angle sun in the winter, that free solar gain.”
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