6 Reasons Why Every Homeowner Should Get Plants (NASA Says So)

Did you know that plants can help keep your home cool? As well as providing shade, plants act like oversized green air conditioners, cooling the air around them. Pretty cool, eh? If that doesn't get you excited, maybe cleaner air and lower energy bills will. Here are six reasons why plants are great for your home.

Outdoor Plants 

Plants are suitable for your home even when they're outside. Everybody knows they save the environment, but what can they do for your home? They can cool your home, thus increasing your energy rating, resulting in a higher property value. 

Shade Cover for Your Home

One of the best ways to use plants is by placing them outside to cover your home in the shade, which can significantly impact energy bills. EPA estimates that shaded surfaces are up to 25 degrees cooler than their surroundings, stopping all that heat from being transferred into your home so you can save money on your energy bills. Put plants on the west and south-facing sides of your home to get the best effects, catching the afternoon sun and causing the plants to heat up instead of your home. Trees provide the best coverage and other benefits, but they can take years to grow (we will touch on this later.) Consider some plants like runner beans or squash. These fast-growing plants are annuals which means they will cast shade on your house in the summer when you need it before dying back in the fall. Just install a trellis or stakes for the plants to grow up and plant the seeds at the bottom. A quick, simple way to cool your house for less than $20 with the bonus of fresh produce to enjoy in the fall.

Free Air Conditioning

According to the USDA, a large tree has the cooling power of ten air conditioners running 20 hours a day! That's an awful lot of passive cooling that could go a long way to keeping you comfortable in the summer. Trees cool the air around them by transpiration. They suck up water from the ground and release it from their leaves like sweat, cooling the air around them by up to 9 degrees. Trees can take a long time to grow, but you can consider planting a small one to provide shade to your outdoor AC unit, making your system up to 10% more efficient. It's worth planting a small tree to cover the unit as it continues to grow and cover more space. 

Increase Home Value

If the idea of free AC doesn't have you flustered, then how does an astonishing 10% added to your home value sound? That's the effect the USDA estimates a mature tree on your property could have on your property price. Trees, like most improvements to your home, are an investment. This investment could help cut your energy bill and significantly increase your home's value. On top of all this, you'll be helping the environment with improved air quality and lower greenhouse gas emissions. 

Idaho Power offers free trees to their customers when you enroll in their Shade Tree Project. The free tree project is a fantastic way to help your home and local neighborhood keep cool. Enrollment just opened up here, if you miss out this time then don’t worry, you can sign up to receive a notification when it opens here. The Idaho Forest Products Commission also gives away free trees each year on Arbor Day, the last Friday of April. But if you can’t wait for a free tree, visit your local plant nursery to pick up a seedling.

But what if you don't have space for large plants or trees in your garden? That's okay! Plants can provide tons of benefits from inside your home.

House Plants

Plants make incredible decorations, but adding indoor cooling plants has many added benefits, including lowering your stress, improving your concentration, and, like the previous benefits we mentioned - increasing cooling and decreasing your AC bill.

Keep Your Home Cool

Like trees, house plants also release moisture by transpiration (aka, plant sweat.) Now 'plant sweat' might not sound glamorous, but house plants cooling effects could lower the temperature in your home by as much as 10 degrees! To make the most of this effect, in this case, bigger is better. The more plants you have, and the larger they are, the more surface area they have to release water and cool your home. Invest in some houseplants. Try Pothos or Monstera as easy starter plants that require little maintenance and are very tolerant. They not only have these fantastic cooling benefits but also look great. 

Clean Your Home's Air

According to the EPA, pollutants inside can be up to 5 times higher than outside! Who would have thought, right? This is a big deal when we spend 90% of our time indoors. The best way of tackling this is with good ventilation. Sometimes, that can be hard when it's over 90°F outside with closed windows to keep your home cool. Adding houseplants to your home decor can help clean your indoor air. Pair this with frequently changing your filters (every 90 days minimum), and you will see a positive change in your indoor air quality. And although we would be upset if you didn't trust us on this, you can't deny NASA. They have proven that plants effectively remove toxic compounds from your home. 

Improve Your Mental Health

Although more recent studies have suggested plants' air purifying power is relatively limited, their impact on your health is not. Indoor plants have many benefits, like lowering stress and anxiety while improving concentration and productivity. So for healthy air, keep replacing your filters and add plants to keep your healthy mind.

So what do you say? Time to buy a new plant?

There you have it! Six reasons plants why plants work wonders - from cooling your home to increasing its property value to keeping you sane. Indeed, plants work magic. However, plants won't stop your AC unit from breaking down at the worst possible moment. Make sure you carry out your maintenance BEFORE the busy season begins. If you've got any questions, get in touch for a free consultation with the professionals.