2005 Year in Review

Windbreaks Can Help Save on Energy Costs

The cold winds and snow of Midwest winters make it obvious to many rural homeowners that windbreaks are a good investment, especially when heating bills are high. Installing windbreaks can help ease the wind’s impact and leave fewer snowdrifts to shovel. More importantly, with the rising costs of heating, windbreaks can also help reduce energy demand.

Studies have shown that owners of older, poorly insulated homes, such as many farmhouses, could save as much as 30 percent in heating costs with a mature windbreak. Concerns about the costs of installation should be weighed against the benefits of operation efficiency around the buildings, reduction in energy demand, and convenience of less snow handling.

Use the winter months to plan a windbreak design. That way, you’ll be ready for tree planting in the spring. Although it may be a cold job, monitoring the wind and snowdrifts around the property on some windy days can help in the planning process.

The first step is determining the proper design and location. Since prevailing winter winds are normally from the northwest, the windbreak should usually be located on the north and west sides of the area to be protected. Usually the most effective design is an L-shaped planting that makes two “legs.”

The most protection from the windbreak will be in the zone about as wide as 8 to 10 times the height of the tallest trees. In general, windbreaks should be located 50 to 100 feet from the house and building that you want to protect, with 100 feet being preferred. The most snow accumulation will occur within the first 50 feet of the innermost row of trees. Beyond 15 to 20 times the height of the windbreak, the wind velocity picks back us as though no windbreak was present. For maximum effectiveness, the legs of the windbreak should extend at least 50 feet beyond the area to be protected in both directions.

Ideally, three rows of evergreen trees with the trees in the middle row alternately spaced between the trees in the outside rows are recommended. The rows should be at least 16 feet apart and the trees should be spaced about 16 feet apart on center within each row. Although numerous varieties of trees can be used, Douglas fir and Norway spruce hav proven to be quite successful for windbreaks, with little insect or disease problems. These species also have a fairly rapid rate of growth under good conditions.

When selecting trees for your windbreak, consider locally grown plants. Nursery stock grown within the local climate range often adapts easier and grows well. When planting ball and burlap stock, remove any wire or string from around the trunk. In addition to the trees, you can include plants that provide some color or other aesthetics to the windbreak, as well as plants that produce berries for birds to eat.

For more information on planting windbreaks, visit Illinois Virtual Forest

by  Editor, theCity1.com
January 10, 2005