Seasonal changes affect both the inside and outside of a home in many different ways. The impact of those changes are related to the orientation of a home. Regardless of ownership, thinking about building or buying a home, this information might help.
Orientation refers to the direction the home faces and is something I include in all my inspection reports. All homes have four sides, usually a face or front, two ends and the back. The ends are usually smaller than the front and back. Think about our weather and the wind which usually blows from the west. Think about the sun and the pattern it follows which gives us seasonal changes. Yes, the sun comes up in the east and sets in the west, but it also follows a seasonal pattern where it is more northerly at times, straight overhead at times and more southerly at times.
Now think about the front, the ends and back of your home. Does your home face the east, west, north or south. Does it matter? Do you or should you care? If you already own a home, you can already answer that question.
The face or front of a home usually has lots of big windows and at least a front door. Window and door openings have double studs and headers or extra structural lumber to maintain the wall strength. The same holds true for the back of a home and the two ends, however the ends “usually” do not have doors and “usually” have fewer and smaller windows. That means there is less structural lumber in those walls which also means there is more area that can be insulated.
Lumber is a solid and transfers both heat and cold much better than insulation. The impact of the sun in the summer, when you are trying to cool your home, will be different for a home that faces the east or west than a home that faces the north or south. A larger wall, facing the west, will feel or absorb the sun heat especially in the afternoon. Same holds true with wind issues and possible air leaks that come around doors and windows. Even if you have the best windows, whatever that is with thermo pane glass and low E coatings, you will still have less insulation areas in the wall.
Now factor in the outside color of your home. Dark colors absorb heat. Brick absorbs heat too. Yes, that might be OK in the winter, but how many days do we even see the sun in the winter? In the summer, when you are trying to cool your home, color can make a big difference too. The sun can affect a home in two ways. All homes are affected by direct sunlight, but some are affected by indirect or reflected sunlight. How, you might ask? Well have you ever been on the beach or out on the water.
You should know that you get “twice” the sun exposure on or around the water. How is this important? Look at all the homes built in developments with retention ponds. Think about “orientation” and location and you just might understand the possible impact from reflected sunlight.
Sun or UV rays can dry caulking around doors and windows. UV affects vinyl and almost all types of plastic. It can dry thermo pane window seals allowing them to fog more quickly than windows not exposed to direct sun. Roof penetrations are usually through the back slope. Roof penetrations like plumbing vents that are flashed with rubber deteriorate faster when they are exposed to the afternoon sun. You might not be able to change the orientation of your current home, but choosing which way your next home faces might help.
Knowing these issues, should help you understand the maintenance needs of your current home, why only one side or end of your home always needs attention. Most folks don’t heat or cool their garage, so why not let the garage filter the elements that will cost you money! In my opinion, a home that faces south or north with the garage on the west end best deals with our weather and would help you with heating and cooling costs. Orientation is something to think about!
Dave Huff is a longtime home inspector, and owner of Home Inspections Plus in Fortville. Send comments to dr-editorial@ greenfieldreporter.com.
