How to determine whether the apartment is sunny or not?

An apartment correctly selected according to the cardinal directions should bring its owner, in addition to such abstract things as comfort and positive emotions, also purely practical benefits - for example, significant savings on housing and communal services. But as practice shows, few independent clients on the market can boast that they were able to show their insight so far, and, in general, initially think about where it is best for the windows in the apartment to face. I will say more, for example, in the secondary market, when choosing housing, buyers are often forced to be guided by the principle - “If I don’t care about fat, I wish I could live,” because their capabilities are often limited only by a modest budget and they don’t have much choice - take what you have, otherwise it will go away . “Well, if the windows in the apartment go where you need them, this is generally an ideal option!” And yet, despite such cramped circumstances, clients behave too recklessly in such situations. The realities of the market are such that the true reason for the urgent sale of an apartment often lies precisely in the “wrong” inappropriate side of the world, when the owner comes to the realization that it is impossible to stay in the premises. At the same time, the owner experiences not just discomfort - the conditions actually become completely unbearable for him. The primary market in this regard provides much more opportunities for a potential buyer, if, of course, he did not have time for a preliminary analysis.

Installation of tinted glass

Like solar control film, special types of glass can reliably protect a room from too bright sunlight in the summer.

In the production of tinted glass, an additional coloring composition is added directly to the molten glass mass. The final color of the future glass depends on the amount and shade of pigment used.

All tinted glass has a reduced light transmittance, that is, they by definition reduce the luminous flux entering the room. This must be taken into account when choosing such glasses.

They certainly create a more comfortable atmosphere in

indoors. Even very small tinting softens the brightness of the sun's rays and reduces eye strain, thereby ensuring a more comfortable stay in rooms with tinted windows installed.

However, the darker the tint, the less light will enter the room. Thus, on cloudy days, you may feel a lack of light.

Glass tinted in bulk is a more expensive way to protect against excessive UV radiation. However, their service life, quality and ease of maintenance are superior to the option of applying film to glass.

Penthouse - an apartment with windows on all four sides of the world

It is not difficult to guess that the most ideal housing option in terms of uniformity of lighting would be an apartment or apartment whose windows face all four cardinal directions at once. A penthouse on the upper floors of buildings fully meets these requirements. Apartments with all-round lighting are a one-piece, exclusive product and belong to the highest division of the real estate market. An elite penthouse, often with a terrace, can be found both in modern premium residential complexes and in façade buildings.

“It’s better to choose a vest - an apartment where the windows face two sides of the world”

And yet, if we consider housing available to the general public, then the best layout on the real estate market is considered to be a vest - an apartment with windows on two diametrically opposite sides of the world, where there is the potential for variability in living space in terms of functionality, or simply - there is the opportunity, if necessary, swap rooms around the cardinal directions depending on the purpose. “Ruler”, in this regard, loses to the vest, of course.

Sunny south, dark north

The optimal location of the building allows for maximum use of solar energy, obtaining additional heat and light.
It is important to correctly position the windows on the cardinal points. The south side is better lit; here it is worth planning the placement of the largest glazing area. It is advisable to arrange a living room on the south side. We must remember: the sun, which warms pleasantly in winter, becomes a burdensome factor in summer.

The problem is easy to cope with using blinds and roller shutters. The latter have the additional advantage of protecting the house from heat loss in winter. A similar effect can also be achieved by planting deciduous trees near the house, which in the summer shade the windows, and in the winter, when they lose their leaves, they open up the building. In turn, the northern side of the house can be covered with evergreen plantings, which will create a barrier from the cool wind and protect the building from excessive heat loss.

You should also pay attention to the correct design of the roof - in summer it should not overheat. Roof areas should be laid out on a slope that will provide a greater angle of incidence of sunlight in winter, and the smallest possible angle in summer.

The northern part of the house receives the least amount of solar insolation, therefore, on this side, it is better to limit the number and size of windows. In addition, on this side it is worth investing in windows with increased thermal insulation, which guarantees minimal heat loss. An advantageous solution is to position the building so that the large wall is on the east-west line, representing an effective heat storage. As a result, we will save on lighting and heating.

Acceptable location of rooms in the house relative to the cardinal directions

In addition to general requirements and generally accepted standards, there are personal preferences of each homeowner. And the latter do not always coincide with the rules, guests and snips. The orientation of the house relative to the cardinal directions can be done based on the household requirements and habits of the residents.

Kitchen

Natural light in the kitchen is, of course, good. However, intense sunlight will be more of a minus than a plus in a room where cooking is done very often and for a long time. Household appliances, stove, oven - all these appliances constantly heat the air, which means that the kitchen will be a very warm room even without additional natural heating.

The ideal sides for the location of the kitchen space, according to housewives, are north, northeast, east. With this orientation, there is either practically no sun in the room, or it happens in the early morning hours, when it is not yet so hot inside and the sun is not yet so hot.

Floor plan of the house

Living room

There is no clear correct solution here. According to one theory, it is recommended to locate the living room on the southwest, west and northwest sides. There is plenty of natural light in the evening when the whole family gets together. This will be both a plus, from the point of view of heating and insolation of the room, and a minus, since the evening sun will interfere with a comfortable stay in the room, blind your eyes, interfere with watching TV, and additionally heat the room, which has already become heated during the current day.

The second location option suggests the east side as the main direction for placing the living room. The bright sun is present in the room throughout the first half of the day, while the room is not so in demand and warmed up, and in the evening, when the whole family gathers here, the setting sun does not interfere with comfortable communication, and also does not spoil the microclimate.

The disadvantage of such a living room is that you will have to turn on artificial lighting much earlier in the evening.

How to determine cardinal directions using mobile applications

Almost every phone is already sold with the Compass app .

It is also available on Android. For example, on a Xiaomi phone the Compass application is located in the Tools folder (in the same place as Contacts, Clock, Calculator...):

Built-in Compass application on Xiaomi

Opened the application

When you open the application, you need to move the phone, holding it at arm's length in a figure eight in space. This is how the application is configured. After this, the compass will “orient” and the needle will stop twitching. It will consistently show the direction of north and south.

In general, there are many mobile compass applications for all operating systems. But it's better to use the app that comes with your phone.

Please note that these apps require a magnetic sensor on your phone to work. Sometimes it's called just "compass," but it's a technical sensor, not an app; the application is installed on top. This is the technical specification of the phone.

To test your phone for the presence of a sensor, find it on the Yandex Market and in the “detailed specifications” look at the “Other functions->Sensors” section. For example, the Apple iPhone 7 has a sensor:

If your phone has a magnetic sensor but not an app (unlikely), here are some mobile apps that show a compass needle on the screen:

Android	Compass 360 Pro Free, Compass, Compass Steel 3D
iOS	Compass, Free HD Compass

The Internet is usually not required for applications to work. And if there is no sensor, the application will not work.

I tested a couple of apps on an old tablet that didn't have its own compass app. Honestly, it's terrible. I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab, it seems to have a magnetic sensor, but you can’t get out of the woods with such compasses. Slowly, like a snail, the arrow rotates around the screen and points first in one direction, then in the other. I do not rule out that this is a technical malfunction.

In the new Xiaomi phone, the built-in Compass worked perfectly.

There are also traditional ways to determine cardinal directions.

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Ideal orientation of the house to the cardinal points

It is impossible to achieve the only correct orientation and layout of a private house.

Layouts and location of a two-story house relative to the cardinal directions

This is a complex and creative process at the same time, the result of which depends on many factors. To successfully plan a future building, you need to consider:

Size and shape of the site;
Orientation of the site and location of the house according to Feng Shui;
The presence of neighbors and existing buildings on their plots;
Availability of roads and location of entrance to the site;
Dimensions of the house and building area, shape;
Preferences of future owners.

To make it easier to develop your own ideal orientation of the house to the cardinal points, you can start from the basic principles of planning. According to them, a certain set of rooms can be located on each side of the world.

North wall of the house

On the north side it is best to locate all kinds of technical and utility rooms and non-residential areas. If the design and layout of a house with a garage includes a garage, then it would be more appropriate to place it near the north wall.

Also acceptable premises from the north would be a boiler room, storage areas, both heated and cool (for example, for storing food, vegetables, home canning). Some layouts allow placement of bathrooms on the north side without natural light.

Northeast direction

It will be ideal for the entrance group. This is where a porch, a door, a vestibule would be best placed. Inside the house itself, near this wall, you can also locate heated utility rooms (laundry, utility, inventory), and a workshop. The northeast is quite a suitable direction for placing a kitchen. The bathroom can also be oriented in this direction.

East wall of the house

The second most popular direction, after the south. Most of the common areas can be located here. Anything related to sports will fit perfectly near the eastern wall, for example, a swimming pool or a gym.

Detailed chart for the location of the house by cardinal directions

For people who are early risers, as well as those who do physical labor or lead a very active lifestyle, the eastern part of the house will be an excellent place to place a bedroom. It will be convenient to use the dressing room, since there will be enough natural light, and at the same time, the bright sun will not contribute to the fading of clothes.

Southeast direction

It is considered an excellent direction for the location of the kitchen. Moreover, this can be either a separate room or combined with a dining room. Early sun, especially at breakfast, will have a beneficial effect on appetite. Here you can also place an office and bedroom for people in creative professions or those engaged in mental work. If the house has a guest room, it can also be located near the southeast wall.

Sunlight and health

It is extremely difficult to overestimate the importance of natural light. Low insolation negatively affects vision, growth, and metabolism. In addition, the lack of sunlight is a powerful stress-forming factor - the lack of light can cause decreased mood and depression.

“Lighting is one of the main issues that buyers raise,” says Ekaterina Fonareva. — Some people prefer apartments with morning sun, others with evening sun. However, dark apartments do not suit anyone.”

Photo: RIA Novosti / Ruslan Krivobok