What are the different types of exposure in a house?
1 South Exposure. Whether or not you are designing a solar home, good south exposure is desirable in all but the hottest U.S. ... 2 East Exposure. If you’re a morning person, it’s nice to enjoy breakfast near east- or southeast-facing windows. ... 3 West Exposure. West-facing windows are the most problematic. ... 4 North Exposure. ...
What is the best type of exposure for your interior design?
However, some clients’ love being woken up by the sun, which means an eastern exposure is perfect. Lighting can always be controlled with window treatments too. Western exposure is strongest in the afternoon when the sun begins lowering (the sun sets in the west remember!).
Which directional exposure is best for your photography?
Out of all of the directional exposures, northern exposure is the most beloved. It produces a soft light that lasts through the day. North facing views are particularly beautiful, due to the consistent lighting throughout the day that is never too dull or too harsh.
Why choose eastern exposure for your home?
Due to the sun rising in the East, eastern exposure creates a soft morning light. It can add a delicate soft glow to a room, but it’s important that it’s brightening the right room.
What is the best direction for a house to face?
Typically a south-facing home gets sun for most of the day, especially at the front of the house, and is therefore usually brighter and warmer. A north-facing home gets sun at the back of the house and is typically darker and naturally cooler than a south-facing one.
Which house direction is best for more natural light?
southHere, in the northern hemisphere, the sun is always to our south. That means that whichever wall is facing south will receive the most sunlight. To maximize the sun use, place the longest side of your house facing south.
What is the best angle to build a house?
The best orientation for living areas is solar north; however, orientations of up to 15° west of north and 25° east of north still allow good passive sun access. Variations in orientation towards east and west can even have advantages in some climates and for some activities.
Why north facing house is so popular?
North-facing aspect North or north-east facing properties are considered the most desirable because they get the most direct sunlight through the day, especially in winter when the sun is at its lowest.
Why are south facing homes better?
The main advantage of a south-facing house or garden is the amount of sunlight you'll enjoy. As the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the south side of any house will see the most hours of sunlight during the day – especially in the Northern Hemisphere – so a south-facing garden takes advantage of this.
What are the disadvantages of south facing house?
Disadvantages of a South facing houseIncreased heat in summers not good for hotter regions.If not carefully designed as per Vastu can create serious financial and health problems in life.Cannot make an underground water bore well in the front side.Longer hours of sunlight means higher AC bills.More items...•
What direction should a house face for energy efficiency?
An East-West-Facing Lot Ideally, for energy-conserving purposes, a house on an east- or west-facing lot should also have the long side facing south if possible. With the ridge line oriented east-west, this may mean that a narrow side of the house faces the street.
Which direction gets most sunlight?
SOUTH-FACINGPLACE GROW KITS IN A SOUTH-FACING WINDOW For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, south-facing windows will receive the most direct sunlight throughout the day. Whether during the Summer or Winter months, the sun's daily path starts in the East, swings South, and then sets in the West.
How much does it save to have a home reoriented toward the sun?
A study by the Bonneville Power Administration found that homes re-oriented toward the sun (without any additional solar features) saved between 10% and 20% on heating costs. Not to mention – lots of natural light creates a desirable natural ambiance, contributing to your home’s overall comfort.
How to save money on heating and lighting?
Selective siting, shading, and construction strategies can save money on lighting and heating bills. Orient the floor plan. In addition to strategically positioning the building as a whole, design the home so that frequently used rooms (such as the kitchen and living room) receive an ideal amount of sunlight.
How to minimize unwanted sunlight?
You can also use strategic shading to minimize unwanted sunlight – using trees, exterior walls / fences, structural additions such as a porch or trellis, or simple window coverings. Other ways to incorporate natural light are light shelves, and lighter interior coloring to ensure maximum reflection value.
Why are west facing windows bad?
West-facing rooms collect early evening light. Because the sun is so low in the sky, west-facing windows get direct sunlight blazing through them. This makes them a bad choice for TV rooms, since strong light makes screens harder to see.
What is the South exposure?
This positions south-facing windows to act as solar collectors that bring heat into the house in winter. The farther the orientation deviates from 20 degrees of true south, however, the more heating and cooling shortfalls may occur.
How to protect your home from the sun in summer?
Position the home to take advantage of existing natural landscape features where possible. Deciduous trees can offer heat-reducing shading from high-angle summer sun, yet allow solar heat exposure when they lose their leaves in winter. Small hills and evergreen trees to the north can buffer cold winter winds. Nearby bodies of water can provide cooling breezes in summer if they are located on the hotter, south-facing side of the home.
What is a house designed to benefit from passive solar energy?
A house designed to benefit from passive solar energy will by definition be rectangular rather than boxy to maximize southern exposure. East and west facing ends of this design will be shorter than the north/south dimension.
Why should laundry rooms be at the short ends of the house?
Lesser utilized parts of the home such as laundry rooms and garages should be at the short ends of the house to provide a thermal buffer zone against infiltration by cold east/west winds. The most frequently used rooms should front the longer, south-facing side.
Why is it important to have a proper orientation of a new home?
Proper orientation of a new home allows the homeowner to take advantage of a powerful source of lower utility costs: passive solar energy . Orienting a building to accept the sun’s warmth in winter while avoiding excessive solar heat in summer is nothing new.
What colors are good for western exposure?
Afternoon sun can be strong and tends to have golden overtones. Be careful using certain colors in rooms with western exposure, as oranges and reds will make the room seem like it’s on fire.
Why is eastern exposure important?
Eastern Exposure. Due to the sun rising in the East, eastern exposure creates a soft morning light. It can add a delicate soft glow to a room, but it’s important that it’s brightening the right room. If you’re someone that doesn’t like your sleep cut short by a beam of sunlight, make sure your bedroom doesn’t face east.
What is southern exposure?
Southern exposure is typically described as harsh. It’s a bright light that will persist all day. Instead of fighting the strong light, balance it will equally intense colors. Bolder color palettes work well with southern exposure. Rooms that you spend a lot of time in throughout the day such as living spaces are best with southern light. It keeps you from having to turn on all of the lights during the daytime!
Can you face east in a bedroom?
If you’re someone that doesn’t like your sleep cut short by a beam of sunlight, make sure your bedroom doesn’t face east. However, some clients’ love being woken up by the sun, which means an eastern exposure is perfect. Lighting can always be controlled with window treatments too.
Is a custom home good?
A custom home is only as good as it’s plan. Here at Sina Architectural Designs, we make sure that we take into account everything, especially sun exposures when planning your custom home. The right lighting can make or break a design.
Can you change the direction of your home?
That being said, there isn’t much you can do if you already own a home to change the direction. You could plant some evergreens on the North side of your home to help block the sun in the summer and block the wind in the winter. But other than that you can’t uproot your home and spin it.
Is the direction of the house a good or bad thing?
If you haven’t thought about it before, there are quite a few factors that can go into whether the direction your house is facing is a good thing or a bad thing . Some of the factors that can help influence your decision include if the sun will land on your home which can affect how much heating or cooling you will need to use, ...
Which way is best for a house to get the most sunlight?
A house that faces west will get the most sunlight towards the dwindling hours of the day. If you enjoy a good sunset from your living room, a west-facing house might be ideal. West facing houses are also perfect for people who like growing indoor plants.
Which direction should your home be facing?
For the most amount of sunlight all day, your home should be facing south. This means that the front door is facing towards the south and the sun rises and sets over it. This will give you a consistent amount of ...
Why is the north facing house good for plants?
A north-facing house generally has consistent, soft light due to not being in the direct line of the sun’s rays. This is a great direction for gardeners who want softer light for their plants. North-facing houses also receive good sunlight in the winter. During the winter months, the sun is lower in the sky.
What does it mean when your house faces west?
If the front of your house faces west, that means the back faces east. This means that the bedroom windows will be exposed directly to the early morning sun. One of the downsides of a west-facing house is that it will not receive as much sunlight in the winter. The sun tends to lay low in the wintertime, meaning there will not be much opportunity ...
Why is it better to have a south facing house?
A south-facing home will get the most sun in the front, communal areas of the house. This means that they will warm more efficiently in the winter and generally have better light.
Why is the sun not heating up my house?
This is because they don’t receive direct light until later in the day. The early morning sun will not heat up your house like it will with some of the other directions. If your home has a backyard, facing towards the south gives you the best all-around light.
Where should a kitchen be located in a house?
There is no hard-and-fast rule set for where a kitchen should be located in a house. If your home is facing east, you may want the kitchen in the back to utilize the evening sun. In general, your kitchen should be accessible to the rest of the house and well lit.
What is the perfect building site for you?
What is the perfect building site for you is highly subjective. Some like windswept mountain tops with dramatic views, others like shady hollows. Some like open fields; others mature woods. Ideally, a house should be designed to fit the building site – or a building site found that is a perfect fit for the house design you have in mind.
How much south glass is needed for a passive solar home?
Passive-solar homes typically have south glass equal to 9% to 12% of the floor area . In today’s tight, well-insulated homes, too much south glass without adequate shading can cause overheating on sunny days, especially in the spring and fall.
What is the best time to build a solar home?
climate zones. For passive solar design, the southern exposure from 9 am and 3 pm are most important.
Can glass walls cause heat loss?
A wall of glass can also cause excessive heat loss and a chilly feeling (from radiant cooling) on winter nights. Consult an experienced passive-solar home designer who will factor in climate, glazing type, and insulation levels to come up with a workable design. East Exposure.
What are the downsides of direct sun exposure?
Home Maintenance. One downside of direct sun exposure is the damage it can cause over time to siding, roofing, furniture, fabrics, and flooring. The south-facing side of your home will be most affected by sunlight, so you’d be wise to anticipate and budget for such home maintenance as repainting or re-siding.
What happens if your home faces north?
If your main entrance faces north and you live in a region that gets ice and snow in the winter, your home could experience greater cold-weather challenges. Because of the lack of direct sun, the facade of a north-facing home is more likely to fall victim to ice dams and icicles, and driveways and slippery walkways can be especially treacherous. The front facade of a south-facing home receives more direct sunlight, so ice and snow will melt more readily than it will on the houses across the street.
Why is orientation important in a home?
A home’s orientation is important not only for sunlight, but also for warmth. For instance, the southern exposure of a home will collect most of the warmth from the sun, and this can be both a benefit and a detriment. Radiant heat from the sun can help reduce heating costs in the winter, especially in colder climates.
Is a north facing house cooler in summer?
As a result, a north-facing house may remain cooler in the summer than a south-facing one. In warmer climates, north-facing homes can have the benefit of reduced cooling costs when temperatures climb in summer.
Which part of your house gets the most sunlight?
The Southern part of your house will be the portion of your home that gets the most sunlight during the day, since it’s literally going to be exposed to the sun from sunrise to sunset. So if your backyard faces South, you’ll get more warmth.
What does the direction of your house affect?
After all, the direction your house faces will impact your heating, parking, as well as the amount of sunlight you get.
Why do some houses have a backyard facing East or West?
Here’s why people prefer these orientations, and why you might want to work with them: Having a backyard that faces East or West means that each side of the house will get its own fair share of sunlight. The sun rises in the East, so bedrooms that face East will get amazing views of the sunrise.
Is it bad to not have a window facing this direction?
It’s said that not having a window facing this direction could be a bad omen. Avoid living near a “T” intersection. This Feng Shui superstition suggests that busy streets and intersections can cause misfortune to arrive at your home. The idea is that intersections tend to direct energy in a negative way.
Is there an objectively ideal direction for a house?
It’s not really possible to say that there is an objectively ideal direction for every house to face . That’s because each direction has its own perks and pitfalls, especially when you take into consideration the overall layout of the lot that your home will be on.
