The apartment on the sunny side is good. It is much better to have windows in the apartment. Sunlight and health

In modern apartments there are usually not so many rooms to choose their purpose depending on the direction of the world. But it is imperative to pay attention to where the apartment windows “look”: not only your mood, but also your health depends on this. AiF.ru tells you what you need to know about the cardinal directions when choosing housing.

Lighting standards

Before building a new house, calculations of insolation (natural light) of future apartments are always carried out. “The insolation coefficient is calculated taking into account the geographic latitude at which the house is located (the angle of incidence of direct sunlight at the zenith depends on it), the parameters of the apartment (latitude and design of light openings), the presence of shading objects (distance between neighboring houses), etc.” , — told AiF.ru Director of FSK "Leader" Grigory Altukhov.

According to sanitary norms and rules (SanPiN), living rooms must ensure the standard duration of insolation. For Moscow, which is part of the central zone, it is at least two hours. The duration of insolation in residential buildings should be ensured in no less than one room for 1-3-room apartments, and no less than in two rooms for multi-room apartments. “For each specific object, the restrictions on the location of apartments are different. But there is one thing in common - windows in apartments cannot be oriented only to the north,” says Ekaterina Fonareva, commercial director of Barkley Corporation.

The fact is that north side- the darkest and coldest. In rooms with windows facing north, special attention should be paid to the insulation of windows and walls, as well as artificial lighting, which should compensate for the small amount of sunlight.

The rest of the cardinal directions also have their own characteristics. East side warms up well in summer and cools down very well in winter. In the morning the room is filled with light, and in the afternoon it is in the shade. South side the brightest and warmest. The sun warms up well and illuminates the room both in winter and in summer. West side the windiest and most exposed to sunlight. Whenever possible, when constructing houses, barrier plantings of trees are made on the western side.

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

Cardinal directions and purpose of premises

For kitchen, pantries and other utility rooms are best suited to the north, north-west or north-east side. They are not residential, which means a large number of There is no need for natural lighting here. It is also good to locate non-residential and utility rooms on the north side.

bedroom It is best to place it on the east or southeast side. This location will allow you to wake up with the first rays of the sun.

Cabinet location(workshop) depends on what time of day it will be used. If you need to work in the morning, it is better to place it in a room on the east or southeast side: the morning rays will illuminate the room well, and the hot midday sun will shine from the west. If you plan to work in the evening, then it is better to locate the office in the west or southwest: evening sunlight is not as hot as daylight, but at the same time it will illuminate the workplace well.

How to determine cardinal directions

Even if you don’t have a compass at hand, you can easily determine the cardinal directions in your apartment. The easiest way to do this is on a sunny day. At the latitude of central Russia, the sun is in the east at 7 o'clock in the morning, in the south at one o'clock in the afternoon, and in the west at seven in the evening.

If there is an Orthodox church near your house, then you can determine the cardinal directions by the location of its building. The lowered end of the lower crossbar of the cross on the dome of the church always faces south, and the raised end faces north. The altar is always located on the east side.

An ordinary clock with hands can also help you find out the cardinal directions. To do this, you need to position the watch horizontally and point the hour hand towards the sun. After this, you need to divide the angle between this arrow and the number 1 if it’s winter outside, and 2 if it’s summer. The bisector will point south.

The illumination of an apartment is one of the most important parameters when choosing real estate, which a person evaluates almost on a subconscious level. If you come to inspect an apartment during the day, and it is semi-dark, this is a reason to think about how comfortable such housing will be. There are even special standards that clearly stipulate how much light living rooms should receive daily. It is also important which side the windows face. Specialists from the MIC Group of Companies talk about how to choose an apartment with enough light. The importance of sunlight in our lives is difficult to overestimate. Natural lighting is involved in the formation of our daily biorhythms and metabolism, is a catalyst for the synthesis of vitamins, stimulates mental activity and directly affects our mood. It is not possible to replace natural light with lamps, so for modern residential real estate there are special lighting standards that vary depending on the latitude of the area. So, in middle lane Continuous insolation of residential premises should be at least 2 hours in the period from March 22 to September 22. This period of illumination can be divided into several parts, but then at least one of them should be at least an hour, while the total duration of insolation should increase by half an hour. Such requirements are set out in SanPiN 2.2.1/2.1.1.1076-01 “ Hygienic requirements to insolation and sun protection of residential and public buildings and territories." Of course, it is impossible to determine by eye during your first visit to an apartment whether it meets all these requirements. In addition, there are other documents, in particular, regulating the amount of illumination in rooms, and it is simply not possible to take them all into account when inspecting an apartment. Therefore, it is best to rely on your own feelings and knowledge of some rules or enlist the support of a realtor. When purchasing a primary property, the issue of illumination of an apartment is not so acute, but when choosing housing in an old housing stock, this point should be taken as carefully as possible. It is very important to find out how the house is oriented relative to the cardinal directions. It is advisable that the apartment does not have all its windows facing north, otherwise it will be very dark in the winter and autumn. It will be a little brighter in a room whose windows face northeast; here sunlight will appear in the morning. Realtors call the most successful option rooms with windows facing east and southeast: in winter there is enough light, and in summer this side of the house does not “bake” as much as, for example, in the west or southwest. Apartments with windows overlooking the different sides: in brighter rooms you can arrange a living room or children's room, in more shaded ones - a bedroom or office. “If you choose an apartment with a realtor, be sure to tell him about your preferences regarding the lighting of the apartment,” say the company “MIC-Real Estate” (GC “MIC”). - sunlight in an apartment, of course, it is very important, but not everyone will want to live on the side, where it is light almost all day; for some, the sun will be enough only in the morning or evening hours. And someone, on the contrary, will choose windows facing the hot southwest.”

Image source: Lori Photobank

A truly bright apartment has a whole bunch of advantages. Firstly, such housing visually appears larger, and secondly, energy bills are reduced. Plants also grow better in such a house, and mold almost never grows. The amount of sunlight in an apartment is an important issue, so when choosing housing in modern new buildings, you should pay attention to this factor.

Light is "in law"

At the stage of designing a house, the architect faces one rather important task: he needs to think through the building so that each apartment receives a sufficient amount of light. Achieving this in the densely built environment of modern cities can be very difficult, experts say. However, developers have no choice - new housing must necessarily comply with insolation standards, otherwise the project will not receive a positive conclusion from the state examination. The requirements for insolation, recorded in SanPiNs, largely limit the implementation of one or another concept of a residential complex. “For example, one-room apartments and studios cannot face north. If we talk about multi-room apartments, then at least one of the rooms must be bright,” says Maria Litinetskaya, managing partner.

Thus, when buying an apartment in a modern residential complex, you don’t have to be afraid that you will come across housing with violations of insolation standards - this is now strictly monitored. However, this only applies to housing. These SanPiNs do not apply to apartments that are not legally residential premises. That is, when designing apartments, a developer can position the building in such a way that the premises face the north side or a blank wall.

Indeed, apartment developers are free from strict regulatory requirements for insolation, confirms Vyacheslav Kazunin, senior project manager, premium houses in the center of Moscow. This, in particular, makes it possible to design apartment spaces with a smaller ratio of façade area to interior area, that is, to make them deeper. However, insolation is important factor, which has a beneficial effect on the human environment, so apartment builders sometimes take into account the standards, although they are not obliged. “The standard duration of insolation (continuous direct sunlight for 2 hours) in residential buildings must be provided in at least one living room for 1-3-room apartments and at least in two living rooms for 4-room and large apartments,” - the expert clarifies.

With a view of the sunrise... Or the sunset?

According to experts, the brightest apartments face windows on southwest side. “However, this does not mean that the majority of buyers choose precisely such objects,” says. - As practice shows, about 80% of clients are interested in housing with windows facing east or west, while they are practically not interested in north and south. And this is quite logical. Some people like to wake up with the sun, while others like to admire the sunset. With windows facing north, the sun's rays do not enter the apartment, and housing with windows facing south is illuminated during the day, when many people are at work. However, among our clients there were also those who were looking specifically for the northeastern side. This happens for various reasons. For example, there are people who cannot stand the summer heat or are even allergic to the sun. In addition, in an apartment on the sunny side, repairs have to be done more often due to fading wallpaper. Therefore, there is no single advice on choosing the cardinal direction in an apartment. Everything depends solely on the client’s personal desires and needs.”

Which rooms do not steal light?

And yet it is worth noting that insolation and illumination are different concepts, says Vyacheslav Kazunin (“MONE Residence”). Insolation relates directly to direct sunlight and depends on the orientation of the apartment, while lighting requirements relate specifically to the proportions of the rooms and the size of the windows. Thus, a number of other factors influence how bright your apartment will be.

First of all, we are talking about the floor. The lower the apartment, the less light it gets. The shape of the rooms is also important, experts say: the most illuminated ones are square ones, while “pencil cases” rooms are most often dark, especially if they also have a balcony or loggia. And, of course, the number of windows has a big impact. “For example, in the Fili Grad multifunctional complex they sell two-room apartments, where the room has three windows at once. This not only increases illumination, but also allows you to install a partition and divide the space, says Maria Litinetskaya (“Metrium Group”)».

Developers often increase the illumination of apartments in their complexes using solutions such as panoramic windows. Bay windows - parts of the room that protrude beyond the plane of the facade - also help make your home brighter.

"Vest" is best

Good lighting of the apartment is a big plus, but, oddly enough, this characteristic has no direct connection with the price tag. “If you compare apartments in which most of the windows face the bright side and housing with windows facing north, the prices in them may differ,” says Maria Litinetskaya. - For example, in the Fili Grad residential complex, the difference in cost between apartments of the same area on the first and last floors can reach 600 thousand rubles. However, it is important to understand that such a price premium is influenced not only by the level of insolation, but also, first of all, by the species characteristics. Therefore, it is quite difficult to isolate the share of the illumination level directly.”

In the case of apartments, the situation is similar. According to Vyacheslav Kazunin, senior project manager, illumination and window directions are not key factors in their pricing. But the cost of an apartment increases provided that it faces two or more cardinal directions. “Housing on three and even four sides of the world is the most prestigious, but it is worth noting that such lots often have a large area, which is also one of the key factors in pricing,” says the expert.

However, all of the above applies only to housing in which the windows face east and west, clarifies Maria Litinetskaya. Apartments with windows facing both south and north are not so marketable. “Vests” allow owners to intelligently zone the space. For example, in this case, the children’s room and the living room can be located at different ends of the apartment, which is very convenient. None of the family members will be disturbed by a working TV or children playing.”

Light requirements prevent the emergence of a “concrete jungle”

From time to time, the authorities raise the issue of revising existing lighting requirements for residential premises. The last such discussion was in February 2015, when the Moscow Government planned, as part of the anti-crisis plan, to review the permissible lighting standards for residential projects in order to reduce restrictions when planning development areas. On the one hand, this will greatly facilitate the developer’s work, he says Maria Litinetskaya (“Metrium Group”), since construction sites are often surrounded by something or have irregular geometry, which greatly limits the apartment design. However, this will certainly lead to an even greater increase in building density, which will make life less comfortable.

In the meantime, the lighting requirements remain the same, the buyer of primary real estate has a pretty good selection of bright and comfortable apartments. The main thing is to choose housing taking into account your lifestyle (this includes, first of all, your work schedule), well-being and aesthetic preferences. The portal wishes you good luck in choosing a new apartment!

jade rosary

07.03.2010, 01:56

Tell me, please, how? How to escape from the scorching sun? Situation: sunny side, wall-to-wall window, not a tree nearby, nothing. The sun gets so hot in half a day that the room is unbearably stuffy:010:, and you can’t sleep much longer in the morning. Has anyone encountered this, what curtains would you recommend to prevent them from showing through? I don’t want blinds, I don’t want to put foil on the window either. I've heard about tinting windows, but I don't know what it is:008: Or is it air conditioning...what then?

Caterpillar

07.03.2010, 09:55

My parents were SUCH a mess. The apartment is two-sided. Three windows to the east (it bakes in the morning), another one to the west (it bakes in the afternoon). There are two air conditioners. In the living room and children's room. There are blinds in the bedroom. There are blinds in the kitchen. At first they didn’t start tinting the windows for two years, but they lived there - we decided to see how it would be. In short, it's terrible. Only air conditioning helps.
Mom put film on the windows. Of course, it saves a little, BUT in the fall it was impossible to tear it off the windows - it burned like in a frying pan. No matter what we tried - we soaked it in water, acetone, and solvent - it didn’t work. They tore them off with a knife, scratched the windows... They don’t even consider curtains, those that don’t let light in, because they need daylight! Now they are about to tint the windows. I don’t know yet how it will be in the summer.....

07.03.2010, 10:38

mirror film is usually glued, look in the reference book “pro-industry and supply of tinting films” they are more professional. They will tell you that the process of applying film to glass is quite complicated.

07.03.2010, 11:07

When I was a child I lived in one of these - all 4 windows face exactly south. IMHO, only air conditioning will help dramatically. You can also try curtains that “stick” to the glass. Or inter-frame blinds, if it is possible to install them.

07.03.2010, 11:21

07.03.2010, 16:25

Blinds (either internal or external) or rolllights help very well.

And we have blinds, it’s convenient

07.03.2010, 16:25

If you have modern plastic windows then in a situation of sun and stuffiness, we can recommend replacing the double-glazed window with a glass package with an energy-efficient low-emissivity coating
A double-glazed window is a system of parallel glasses separated by a spacer frame and connected with a sealant. The double-glazed window itself is the main element of the window, since the double-glazed window occupies 80% of its area. In this regard, it is the double-glazed window that mainly determines the heat-insulating and noise-insulating properties of the window structure as a whole. At the same time, to replace it, you do not need to dismantle the window, just remove the glazing bead (the plastic that presses the double-glazed window to the frame), remove the old double-glazed window, insert a new one and secure the glazing bead back. The operation takes 20 minutes.
Low-emission coating works on the principle of a thermal mirror. Being completely transparent to light, it reflects thermal infrared radiation. Therefore, in winter, the heat in your room is reflected back and you do not heat the street. All the heat remains in the room. And in summer, the sun's thermal rays are reflected onto the street and the room is cool. In terms of price, double-glazed windows with low-emissivity glass are even cheaper than a regular two-chamber package. At the same time, the heat-insulating properties of a single-chamber double-glazed window containing glass with a heat-saving coating are 20% higher than that of a double-chamber double-glazed window with ordinary glass, i.e. it will be warmer in winter. And in summer it is cooler. Moreover, this coating is not a film, it is worn in a factory environment, the guarantee for such a double-glazed window according to GOST is 20 years.

Gadyukina

07.03.2010, 17:20

We have windows to the south and west and are on the 14th floor. We installed Panasonic air conditioners in all rooms except the kitchen (but there is a loggia). Everything was ordered from Klimat prof.
I don’t see any other way out, because I don’t like heat and stuffiness.

07.03.2010, 22:42

Blinds and blackout curtains.

bucket with EYES

07.03.2010, 23:22

I brought foil for the windows from the South, so far we are saving ourselves.

07.03.2010, 23:47

08.03.2010, 01:03

08.03.2010, 01:50

Pay attention to the windows of the southern countries, Spain, Italy, Sicily...
Do you think they hide from people behind external blinds?
A method proven for CENTURIES! Outshines any “energy-saving” double-glazed windows and condos.

08.03.2010, 03:51

I have five windows to the east, 2 to the west. Both bedrooms face east, there are blackout roller blinds, I close them completely at night, and by 11 am the sun is already leaving there.

08.03.2010, 23:24

Today, while walking with my child, I saw how people have blinds on the outside of their windows.
I found it very convenient - the window can be closed entirely. The only thing is that they have a second floor, but how can they make it “a little” higher :(

It’s easy to install on metal-plastic on any floor, the only thing is that I deliberately did not do end-to-end control so that it wouldn’t blow into the hole in winter.

So, who will approve such a change in the facade of the building? And with our winds, and on high floors, can you imagine how the shutters of these blinds will fly?

There is no need for special approval for this; they withstand wind loads well.

08.03.2010, 23:55

All our windows face east; the only saving grace is the blinds (horizontal), attached directly to the frame.

09.03.2010, 00:50

09.03.2010, 01:17

We have three windows facing south. No others:)

We don’t hide from the sun, we don’t escape in any way, we enjoy it! White curtains:)
Beauty!
But it’s warm, the windows are always open... fresh air...

09.03.2010, 09:19

Blinds help a lot. Ours hung right on the frame. thick curtains without blinds did not help. now air conditioning. but for those with children, this is not an option...the simplest horizontal blinds are better. Gluing film to windows is not an option. because there is much more gray weather than sun...

09.03.2010, 10:48

I'm going a little offtopic. I lived for 6 years in Istanbul. During this time, I still haven’t fully understood why the Turks prefer the south side :) Without roller shutters, it bakes so bad even in winter that you could die. But, they say, there are savings on heating :)
I was happy that we only had one room facing southeast. At least you could live in the other rooms during the day :)

09.03.2010, 12:13

We have all the windows facing south.... but somehow we don’t suffer from the sun, really, it’s the 5th floor..... In the summer the sun is high and only gets into the rooms right next to the window, in the spring the sun is all over the room, because it’s lower, but In this case, we have bamboo roller blinds from Ikea that diffuse well, the windows are open, it’s rarely stuffy, but there’s a lot of sleeping area and greenery under the window, maybe that helps:009:

09.03.2010, 12:28

In my opinion, the ideal solution for the kitchen is horizontal roller blinds. They are easy to wash. And for rooms there are the same rolllights, only made of special fabric that does not allow light to pass through. We've already hung it in the kitchen, great! Now we’ll do some renovations in the rooms and hang them there too. All our windows are south facing.

09.03.2010, 15:14

We suffer every year. apartment on three sides. east, south - 6 windows and the last one to the west. sun all day. especially in summer. in the east it rises, in the west it sets. My grandfather once chose this apartment precisely because it was sunny. I really think it’s better than my mother-in-law’s - all the windows face north and it’s also on the first floor. damp and cold all the time.

09.03.2010, 15:34

Rolllights “crawl” on the glass.
Horizontal roller blinds are pleated curtains that “crawl” along the glass?
Can I see the photo? I don’t understand why pleated is easier to wash than rollite? It seems to me, on the contrary, that more dust “clings” to the folds.

28.05.2010, 11:42

All my windows are south facing. And another high floor. In the summer we fry like in a frying pan. Nothing saves. All windows and balcony are wide open. Thick curtains help a little. So that at least it doesn't blind your eyes.

28.05.2010, 16:27

All three windows face south: 001: We are saved exclusively by blinds and air conditioning. Previously, we lived without blinds, the heat was constant, all the furniture was burnt out, thick blinders didn’t help!!