South Facing Windows: Does the Way the Window Faces Matter?
When you bought your house, or if you’re currently looking to buy or sell, it’s likely you’ll have heard estate agents extolling the virtues of ‘south facing’ properties.
The reason south facing windows are such a key benefit to your property, is that they allow more light to enter your home.
South facing rooms get more daylight throughout the day and this is where the rooms where you spend most of the daytime tend to be situated.
But how does it work? And how do you maximise the benefits of having south facing windows? Here’s a bit more information to help explain.
Seasonal cycles
Because Great Britain, and subsequently London, is in the northern hemisphere, the angle of the earth’s tilt on its axis means the sun appears to be below us.
At the Equator, the sun would pass directly overhead, whereas in the southern hemisphere, it would appear in the North.
Being to the north of the sun means that it always passes us to the south, rising in the south-east and setting in the south-west.
Maximising sunlight
While you may not have much choice over which direction your home faces, there are ways you can make the most of windows which face the south.
Below we look at some of the methods that can be used.
Solar Control Windows
Solar control windows allow the light and heat from the sun to enter your home and then trap it inside in order to maximise the heat gain from the sunlight. A solar control film can also be retrofitted to the glass.
Install Patio Doors to the South
Having patio doors are a great way to make your home feel brighter and more airy. They can be left open in the hot summer months to allow more air to enter your home and in the winter, allow more light, and therefore heat to enter your home.
Angled Glass
While most windows are installed with vertical glass, the panes can be angled to maximise the light obtained from the south.
Larger window panes
When having new windows installed, opt for frame styles with larger panes of glass on south facing windows to ensure you make the most of the sunlight entering your home.
Install conservatories and orangeries to the south
The angle of the sun will also impact the location of any conservatory or orangery you wish to have installed.
Installing to the south will mean your conservatory is hit with the sunlight for most of the day. However, this can cause your conservatory to overheat and become uncomfortable to use during the day. Installing blinds or considering a shadier location will help to overcome this issue, but the angle of the sun should definitely be considered when buying a conservatory.
Benefits of south facing windows
As discussed, there are a number of key benefits to south-facing windows, including a brighter, warmer home. This, in turn, leads to reduced heating bills.
By allowing more light and heat into your home, they can also lead to overheating during the summer, so ventilation and shades or blinds are also a consideration when it comes to south facing windows.
BBL Windows are happy to provide further guidance and information. If you’d like to explore the cost of replacing your windows in London in order to maximise the light from the south, use our online window quote tool get a quote for replacement windows in London.