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Of course the home site itself is the most important determiner, but if all things were equal otherwise, which direction should your house face?
I wonder because many cultures had specific tradions and beliefs in this regard. Plains indians always faced their Tipis East, and Chinese Feng Shui says a house should face South, for example.
I specifically bought one facing South when we built our new house...our driveway is cleared and dry while the folks across the street still have ice and snow on it.
South (more or less) to melt the snow on the driveway and walkway to the front door. If it's facing North, it turns to ice and stays there way past the time the other sides are melted.
For the house, it actually has to do with passive heating of the house in the Winter. South facing windows will let light in to heat the floor, which then radiates it throughout the night.
If the front of the house doesn't have any significant windows to let the light/heat in, then another part of the house might be better to have a South or Southwest facing orientation. The driveway could still have a Southeast orientation and get more than enough exposure to stay clear.
I depends on the regional climate and the type of house.
In a climate with winter weather, it's desirable for the largest expanse of house with windows to face south with the west side of the house having many windows too. This allows the sun to help warm the house in the winter. In an extremely hot climate, you'd want to do the opposite and have most of your windows facing north and east. THE OTHER most important placement for areas with winter is the roof design. It should slope of the east and west sides. If it slopes north and south, the snow won't melt as quickly on the the north side of the roof. But east and west slopes get sunlight throughout the day to melt snow.
Since our summers are very hot and humid, it's important that the porch, deck and/or patios aren't on the West side of the house. These are outside areas you want to enjoy in the evenings. The west side of the house gets too much sun in the evenings in the summer. The east side of the house is where the house is naturally shaded by the house blocking the sunlight.
In the end, a house can face any direction, but the design of the house and where windows are placed are of the most importance. Placement of outdoor living areas is also important.
Hi! Yet this is my first post on this forum and i am new here i think that a house should always face east direction.If we think from a religious point of view then also choosing east will be a better option.if not east then i would like to suggest you to choose north.One benefits of choosing east is that your home will face the sunny side of street so your ice will not also stop you it will melt fast i think
I'd say it depends upon where you live. In the hot climates you might want to situate your house so that your backyard was shaded in the afternoon, but in a cooler climate the reverse. We've had a house in Ohio facing east and also in GA facing east... kinda wish the Ga house was facing in a way that shaded the back of the house in the afternoon. At any rate, I think the home designer should plan the windows, or lack of windows, in a house according to the site. At least my house has no windows at all on the south side, which is great for keeping out the summer heat.
Hopes, I just read what you wrote. I seriously wasn't copying.
I'd add that the front entrance is not necessarily the entrance most often used by the homeowner. I prefer a West facing front door however the door I use most and the driveway I use I prefer to have a southern exposure (snowmelt and out of the wind for my geographic area).
I'd add that the front entrance is not necessarily the entrance most often used by the homeowner. I prefer a West facing front door however the door I use most and the driveway I use I prefer to have a southern exposure (snowmelt and out of the wind for my geographic area).
My last house faced the east; I didn't like it because the living room and patio were so hot in the afternoon.
I designed our current house facing south and I love it. the rooms on the back of the house aren't hard to keep cool, and the patio is never hot in the afternoon. My bedroom windows face east so on the rare mornings I'm not already up before the sun, it get a sunrise through the windows.
Interesting question.
My NY house I built ten years ago faces north. The driveway does not seem to be a problem at all. Many times house direction is dictated on property lines, what side of the street the property is on, etc.
My Florida home faces southeast.
My first thought was houses should face "outside"
Frank
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