Apr 18, 2017
South-facing apartments?
During the search for a new apartment, I realized that "South facing" is an option on the check box, and those apartments are usually more expensive. Why is that? What makes South-facing more special? I think it's something to do with the sunshine, but the Sun goes from East to West, so why is South preferred? Thanks.
Best Answer
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on Apr 19
the sun doesn't rise exactly east, during winter it is slightly south east, and then sets in the northwest. I've witnessed with myself at a school I teach , which has no heating or cooling. You have to rely on the suns rays through the window to feel any inkling of warmth. Unfortunately early spring is still cold but the sun no longer makes a sun spot through the windows because the sun is rising and setting in different places. Moss grows on the north side of trees for this same reason. Tomuu is correct about the laundry as well. Most Japanese will put their laundry out in the morning when the rays can touch it directly, but this only works if the surrounding buildings don't block it out. Houses often have their drying balcony to the south regardless of the direction the house faces. You will also find cheaper housing if nearby is a solar panel field, because the solar panels will reflect onto the nearby houses and melt things....
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on Apr 18
I've asked about this and the response I got was, as you said, to do with the sunshine. I guess maybe when it's right up there during the day (as opposed to when it rises in the morning) a south-facing apartment catches the best rays. This is good for winter to warm up the apartment, and good during summer as it helps prevent the humidity from creating mould. It's also obviously good for getting the laundry dry which seems to be something they are mildly obsessive about over here. Of course, if you live in urban areas, there's every chance that a south-facing (or any-direction facing) apartment could be starring straight at another building a few meters away.
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on Apr 20
This has to do with the magnetic pole of earth rather than sunshine I think. Because the magnetic forces of the earth are designed from North Pole and to be received by the South Pole, this facing brings lots of energy. I hope you have heard about "Vastu". Its a Hindu Science of architecture and similar explanations can be found in Vastu as well.
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on Apr 20
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on Apr 25
Ah, the south facing apartment / house... this is HUGE in my home country Ireland. Until this century houses were built as much as possible to be south facing, i.e that the back garden was to the South. The reason is you get the best daylight and sun during the day. However, now that so many kids go to daycare and most parents work, everybody wants a West facing garden because you get the sun and light in the evening when you are home from work. :-)
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on Apr 25
Ah, the south facing apartment / house... this is HUGE in my home country Ireland. Until this century houses were built as much as possible to be south facing, i.e that the back garden was to the South. The reason is you get the best daylight and sun during the day. However, now that so many kids go to daycare and most parents work, everybody wants a West facing garden because you get the sun and light in the evening when you are home from work. :-)
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on Apr 26
South facing provides the best conditions for sunlight, considering factors like the difference between morning and afternoon sun. Suitable lighting and direct sunlight impact directly in a very significant way many things from mood to electricity costs. Follow the advice to get south facing if you can.
7 Answers