Building a New Home? Here's Why Going North-Facing Makes Sense
When people talk about having a north-facing house, the idea can be quite confusing. Exactly which part of the house is the one that 'points' in a certain direction? Luckily enough, the concept of a north-facing house is easy to grasp. Essentially, it sees your main outside area and the rooms where you spend most of your (awake) hours facing north. If you're lucky enough to be building a new home and in the position to customize its orientation, here are just a few reasons you should adopt a north-facing aspect:
More Light in Your Living Rooms
It's usually possible to have the rooms where you spend most of your waking hours along the north side of the house. The living room, conservatory, and kitchen, for example, will usually be placed along the north side of a north-facing house. This provides plenty of light. During the height of summer, the sun will shine through during most of the day to fill those rooms with light. During the dead of winter, the lower trajectory of the sun will still spill light into your rooms. Designers almost always will make the most of this by adding larger windows along the north side of a property.
Reduced Condensation
It isn't just the amount of light that streams into your property that's worth considering. If your house is south-facing, with most of the larger windows facing in that direction, not as much heat will enter the property. As such, south-facing homes often suffer from condensation, which could lead to mould, moisture and humidity issues. It's down to the fact that the temperature between outside and inside will be so different, and it's something you can help avoid by opting for a north-facing home.
Lighter and Warmer Outdoor Area
If there's one area of your home you really want to receive as much sunlight as possible, it's your outside space. After all, you don't want to be stuck in the shade when you're trying to get a tan or having a BBQ with your friends. North-facing gardens get all the daytime sun, so you'll be able to soak up the rays. And that's not the only important consideration; if you're thinking of adding solar panels to your outdoor area, you want to make sure that space will get enough sunlight to keep them powered. A south-facing garden just isn't going to perform as well as a north-facing one.
Contact an agent to help you find the right new homes in your area.