Contact: Priscilla Knight, 703-392-1580, pknight@novec.com
NORTHERN VIRGINIA – The Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative recommends celebrating Earth Day on April 22 and Virginia’s Arbor Day on April 30 by planting energy-saving trees.
“In addition to adding beauty and value to your home, trees in the right location can help hold down energy costs,” says Bob James, energy services representative. “We find that customers who have shade trees on the sunny sides of their homes and evergreen trees on their northwestern side have lower energy bills.”
James explains that in summer broadleaf trees help reduce air temperatures around a house by releasing cooling water vapor. James says evergreen trees help block cold winter winds from penetrating a house.
“Besides saving energy, plants help the environment by converting carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into oxygen,” notes James.
The National Arbor Day Foundation recommends deciduous trees for shade, because when they drop their leaves in autumn they allow the sun’s solar heat to pass through branches to warm a home during winter. Some tree specialists in Northern Virginia say oak, maple, and Japanese Zelkova trees provide excellent shade on the eastern and southern sides of a house. Cherry, crabapple, dogwood, saucer magnolia, and other small and medium trees block low, intense sunshine on the western side.
For winter energy-savings, the foundation says to plant solid rows of evergreens on the northern and western sides of the property. James says tree experts recommend Canadian hemlock, Leyland Cypress, pine, eastern red cedar, and Chinese holly trees for Northern Virginia yards when soil amendment is incorporated into clay soil.
Junior Martin, NOVEC’s right-of-way and grounds maintenance administrator, cautions homeowners not to plant trees too close to their houses and utility lines: “When selecting trees, consider how tall and wide they will become when mature. Trees should shade a house but not spread over it, because tree branches may break during storms and damage the roof or siding.”
Martin says, “Before picking up the shovel to plant a tree, call Miss Utility at 811. Workers will mark the location of all underground utility lines. It’s important to keep roots away from the Co-op’s underground cables. Also, homeowners must not plant in NOVEC’s right-of-way area. By heeding this rule, homeowners help prevent power outages that occur when trees or branches fall on overhead power lines during storms.”
Martin suggests reviewing landscaping guidelines at www.novec.com. James recommends visiting www.novec.com/useitwisely12 for more energy-saving ideas.
