As a result, if you face North as you leave your house, you have a North-facing house; similarly, if you face South as you leave your house, you have a South-facing house. And that's pretty much it for locating the front of your house. There are some other factors to take into account, but they're mostly just cosmetic. A north- or south-facing house will not usually affect its value as long as it is kept weatherproof.
The most important thing to remember is that if you want your home to receive maximum sunlight, it should be located in a southern exposure. Any more southerly and your plants will still get light, but it won't be as strong or frequent. Any northerly and you'll miss out on most of the summer sun.
There are some other considerations. If your house has any kind of structure above it (such as walls or a roof), there is a limit as to how far south it can be located. The further south you go, the less sunlight will reach the lower parts of the building.
At the other end of the scale, if your house has no structure above it (such as a flat roof), then there are no limitations where southness matters. You can position your house anywhere between North and South and it will still be considered south-facing.
What exactly is a north-facing house? A north-facing residence is one with the main entrance towards the north. A plot that faces north can be used for building a house, while one that faces south cannot be built on it. North-facing houses need to be located in a place where they get at least six hours of sunlight per day. In colder climates, this means they should not be located as far away from the equator as possible, whereas in warmer locations, there's no need for such precision.
In general, a north-facing residence will have all its windows (and any other openings) on the side of the house that faces north. This is because most heat escapes through windows and doors, and the people who live in these houses would like as much heat as possible to escape during the cold months and as much cool air as possible to enter during the hot months. The main advantage of a north-facing house is that it receives more direct sunlight during the summer months than one which is not facing north, so it will require less heating during those times.
A south-facing house on the other hand will have its main entrance on the side that faces south.
How to Determine the Home-Facing Direction
A south-facing residence often receives the majority of the day's sunlight, particularly at the front of the house, and is thus brighter and warmer. A north-facing residence receives sunlight from the rear of the house and is often darker and naturally colder than a south-facing property. Of course, a south-facing orientation is preferable. If you live in a cold climate, consider installing solar-heat-recovery devices such as ductless minisplits or heat pumps.
The direction that a house faces is called its "angle of incidence." The amount of sunlight that reaches the ground through a window is determined by how far away the window is from true north (latitude 0°) and also by the angle at which it is positioned with respect to the horizon. At the equator, where latitude increases toward the poles, houses tend to be more south-facing.
In general, the farther north or south you are, the more southern or northern your house will need to be oriented to take advantage of the sun's rays. However, there are other factors to consider. For example, if you live in an area that experiences heavy winds from one direction but not another, then a windbreak of some kind may be needed to prevent these elements from damaging your house.
Finally, consider what kind of view you want from your house. A view of a city skyline, for example, might make a north-facing house more attractive than one facing south.
Which way does my house face?
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 BindleyHardware & Co Inc.
