If you are considering planting trees around your home but aren’t sure if the cost and time will be worthwhile, you may not be aware of the variety of ways trees will improve your quality of life. Planting trees will not only make your property more aesthetically pleasing but will also provide you with many unexpected financial and lifestyle benefits.

Here are six great benefits of planting trees on your property:

1 Muffles Noise

If you live near a busy road or in a noisy urban environment, trees can immediately make your life more peaceful by muffling noise. As natural sound barriers, trees can help block unpleasant noise and help your home feel much more quiet and calm. Some homeowners find that a noise barrier comprised of trees also helps them to enjoy their yard much more since they can spend time there without the distraction and stress of street noise.

2 Cools Your Home in Summer

Trees planted near your home provide natural cooling benefits and shade. Since trees block excess sunlight and heat from coming into your home, you may find that you don’t need to rely on air conditioning as much in the hot summer months. In fact, shade trees can reduce your air conditioning costs by 15-50% annually. Planting a tree or shrubbery in a place where it can shade and protect your air conditioning unit will provide additional benefits. This is because air conditioning units that are protected from the sun and heat tend to run much more efficiently than units that are completely exposed to the elements.

3 Helps Reduce Flooding Risk

It’s best to be proactive about finding ways to reduce the risk of your home flooding during heavy rains. One way to do this is to plant trees near your home. Trees can help reduce the risk of flooding by forming a barrier between your home and encroaching water. In addition, tree roots soak up large amounts of water, providing somewhere for excess rainwater to go other than inside your home.

4 Increase Appeal to Home Buyers

If you are planning to sell your home eventually, planting trees now can definitely help you later. Homebuyers tend to find homes with nice landscaping and trees much more appealing than those with more barren yards. In fact, landscaping and trees can boost your home’s value by up to 20%.

5 Trees Can Increase Cognitive Function

Studies have shown that being near nature, including trees, can increase cognitive function. This effect seems to be especially significant in children. Similarly, being around trees has been shown to reduce stress, increase energy, and even boost immune systems. If your children happen to have ADHD, spending time in nature around trees may make their symptoms much milder. If you plant trees on your property you won’t need to go all the way to a forest for a hike in order to reap these mental and physical health benefits. Instead, you and your family can simply spend some time in your yard soaking in the stress-busting and health-boosting properties of trees.

6 Keep You Toasty in Winter

In the winter, trees planted around your home can provide an effective wind barrier, keeping cold, harsh winter air from making it inside your house.

Source: www.hrltech.com