I'm Considering Purchasing a Single Aspect East-Facing Apartment. How Much Sunlight Will I Get?

raquethead111 on 10/05/2020 - 10:34
Last edited 11/05/2020 - 10:17

Just looking for some experience from people who live in east-facing apartments (single aspect). I know that north and north-east generally tends to be the most favourable but as we have our eye on this property, would like to hear specifically about east facing.

Also, I know that we might not get the benefits of cross-ventilation so wondering if people have an ideas on how to combat this.

EDIT: Seems like light will come through mainly in the morning. Does anyone have any tips on getting more light in for an apartment?

Thanks!

Home & Garden

Comments

  • bdl on 10/05/2020 - 10:37
    +4

    http://shadowcalculator.eu/

  • Wootwootwoot on 10/05/2020 - 10:38
    +7

    Sunlight until 11AM, definitely nothing past noon. How high is the apartment, are there any other buildings to the east? Are there likely to be any buildings in the future that blocks the sunlight?

    Refer https://keisan.casio.com/exec/system/1224682331

    • raquethead111 on 10/05/2020 - 10:48

      Its the top floor unit (level 3). No buildings close to it to the east, just a another block of low lying flats.

      Would it still be relatively bright even without direct sunlight?

      EDIT: also forgive the ignorance, but not too sure how to interpret the data in that link!

      • pjetson on 10/05/2020 - 10:52
        +7

        Have you been to the apartment to see how bright or dark it actually is?

        North facing windows will catch the most direct sunlight. West facing windows will catch the most heat, since the sun is hottest after noon. East facing windows will catch direct sunlight only in the mornings. South facing windows never get direct sunlight.

        • raquethead111 on 10/05/2020 - 10:59
          +1

          Yes but as with all inspections, they only allow you to come at the best times. In any case, I was hoping to anyone with personal experiences and whether it would still be decently bright despite no "direct" sunlight in the afternoons (as I have never lived in an east-facing apartment before).

          • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2020 - 11:01
            +9

            @raquethead111: You're the buyer. Inspect when the time is right or walk away.

            It's an apartment, there are dozens of the exact same unit if the REA wants to be difficult.

          • pjetson on 10/05/2020 - 11:01
            +3

            @raquethead111: My house has no windows on the east wall. The room I'm sitting in right now has a very large south facing window/sliding doors, and a smaller west facing window. It's 11am, cold outside but with nice blue skies, and plenty bright enough for me. If I needed more light, I'd turn on a light switch!

            I don't have an objective answer for you. Your subjective view would be more useful anyway. Only you can tell whether it's bright enough for you.

          • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2020 - 13:14

            @raquethead111: What time was the inspection/s?

  • jjjaar on 10/05/2020 - 11:55

    I have north and east facing windows and I find that in the afternoon I get more light from the eastern windows because there’s nothing in the way, but to the north there are trees on the western side of my window, so once the sun has gone behind them it gets dark quickly.

    However, after 10:30am, the eastern rooms are still light but there’s no direct sunlight at all.

    This is now, in winter. Summer is a different story because the angle of the sun is much higher.

    • raquethead111 on 10/05/2020 - 12:13

      thanks for that insight. is it brighter in summer or less?

      • skid on 10/05/2020 - 12:47

        Brighter.

        It'll be pretty warm on the top floor in Summer. Does the apartment have air con?

        I'm guessing it'll be fine. Did you detect any hint of mould?

        • raquethead111 on 10/05/2020 - 12:53

          no mould and no air con :( just hoping that fans will be enough

      • jjjaar on 10/05/2020 - 13:07

        Brighter in summer but not as much direct sunlight as the awnings prevent that (good for keeping it cool but bad for wanting direct sunlight to dry my clothes quicker!)

    • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2020 - 13:18

      Is it a duplex?

      • jjjaar on 10/05/2020 - 13:27
        +1

        No, I am entirely on one floor. The top floor which is one above ground.

        • [Deactivated] on 12/05/2020 - 17:28

          That sounds much better than a duplex. The duplex we lived in originally only had north and south- facing doors and windows . We had to get creative (and spend quite a bit of money) to make it liveable.

  • Islund on 10/05/2020 - 12:20

    I live in a hose and the windows that face eeast only enjoy direct sunlight lill about 11. So in winter that is only like 4 hours max.

    • Donaldhump on 10/05/2020 - 12:42
      +41

      must be a tight squeeze

  • shaybisc on 10/05/2020 - 13:15

    You will wake every morning at the crack of dawn, ready to face the day.

    • Arthur Dunger on 10/05/2020 - 13:41
      +1

      I've never understood why the renovation and building shows on TV have massive windows in a bedroom. I want my bedroom like a freakin cave so I can sleep in.

      • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2020 - 13:49
        +2

        Our master bedroom has a "massive" window. It's south-facing though and is dark in the morning.

        • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2020 - 14:15

          Light is also relative. My kitchen and dining faces east. The entire external wall is glass yet it feels dark after mid day.

          • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2020 - 14:27

            @[Deactivated]: Was it a design choice?

            • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2020 - 14:30
              +1

              @[Deactivated]: No idea. I bought the home on the used home yard.

              It faces the ocean so I think on some level, it was a design choice but I would have staggered the ceiling heights to incorporate some light from the West to compensate.

              Anyway, I fixed it with smart lighting. I added more downlights and a light sensor to compensate.

              • raquethead111 on 10/05/2020 - 14:37

                @[Deactivated]: So does that mean you have to turn on the lights during the day?

                • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2020 - 14:42
                  +2

                  @raquethead111: Yes. It runs on sensors so when I'm in the room, some of the lights come on just to make it feel like I'm not standing in a giant shadow.

                  It's probably about 5W and I have 6 on. That's 0.03kwh every hour. If it is on for 6 hours to compensate during the day, that's ~0.25kwh. That is a whole $0.10 per day if I spent the entire noon to sunset in the kitchen/dining.

                  Also, I run solar and these lights really only come on if it is bright outside (the whole relative brightness thing) so…

              • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2020 - 18:14
                +2

                @[Deactivated]: We lived in a long, narrow, heritage-listed duplex for a while. It was one of those houses where you could see the backdoor from the moment you entered.I believe they are called shotgun houses. We added a staggered ceiling in the living/dining room which made a massive difference. All the common areas were bright and light and the bedrooms were comfortingly womb-like. It was surprisingly livable. At least it was , until the kids came along and we got a puppy.

                • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2020 - 18:16
                  +1

                  @[Deactivated]: That's exactly what I had in mind.

                  Seeing as how I've just seen a few hundred grand disappear into thin air, I think those plans have to wait :(.

                  Thank god I'm not as old as you perceive me to be. I have enough time to absorb that damage.

                  • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2020 - 23:31
                    +1

                    @[Deactivated]: I admire your equanimity. I wouldn't have taken it so well.

  • Bourb on 10/05/2020 - 15:18

    Our kitchen has only East facing windows, nice and bright in the mornings but fairly dull in the afternoons. In winter the kitchen lights come on at 3pm, otherwise it is too dark to see clearly.

    On the other hand the kitchen is the coolest room to be in on a hot summer afternoon.

    • raquethead111 on 10/05/2020 - 16:15

      thanks bourb. 3pm is such an early time to turn lights on :( do you think its still better than south?

  • shaybisc on 10/05/2020 - 16:38
    +2

    East isn't bad. Pretty good actually. You could do a lot worse. South - you will be battling mould for as long as you live there. West - you will be battling heat for as long as you live there.

  • qwerty13 on 11/05/2020 - 08:42

    My apartment is technically west-facing (the front door is on the west of the apartment). I have three aspects (I'm lucky) and most of my windows are on the north and east sides. I have very little between the windows and the horizon, so I get sun from dawn until almost midday. It's bright and open, but the block-out blinds are necessary as first light is around 4am in summer in SEQ.

  • PoKGuy on 11/05/2020 - 08:42

    From 8am till 11am.
    Or 7am till 10am during DLS time.
    Suitable for early risers.

    My bedroom window face east and the kitchen & lounge face north. Best aspects for my preference / lifestyle.

    Cross ventilation with only one aspect ?
    You have to rely on mechanical ventilation, such as fans and AC to get air circulating.

  • TimeAndMoney on 11/05/2020 - 09:17
    +1

    Windows facing east means a lot of sunlight in the morning. Windows facing west means hot afternoons. Windows facing north get a moderate amount of sunlight. South is quite minimal

    • raquethead111 on 11/05/2020 - 10:16

      any ideas on how to get more light if it is morning only?

      • 82norm on 11/05/2020 - 10:40

        You can put in a skylight. Relatively cheap and very effective. You get natural light coming in and saves having you use a light. Some models also have a blind so u can cover the skylight if too bright. The only caveat is that as it will be common property (roof)you may need to get the body corporate to approve it and wear any costs if it causes and damages (very unlikely).

        • raquethead111 on 11/05/2020 - 13:36
          +1

          Thats a great idea though after doing some research, it seems like they are prone to leaking after a period of time? Do you have any recommendations on brand / costs?

          • 82norm on 11/05/2020 - 17:18

            @raquethead111: Velux, (sun tunnel) or Solatube (solatube.com.au). Have had both and never had any problems with leaks.
            Ensure it’s installed by a qualified tradesman and you shouldn’t have issues.

            I’m not sure of price, but they should come under $1k (if that) including installation. It will depend how easy they can get to the roof. A ladder or cherry picker should be the cheapest, but if they have to erect scaffolding, it could be a different story.

            • raquethead111 on 11/05/2020 - 17:22

              @82norm: They seem a bit on the expensive side but definitely looks good! Do you have experience with the solar-powered skylights? Cant tell if they are overly expensive for LEDs or not… definitely cheaper though!

              • 82norm on 12/05/2020 - 13:38
                -1

                @raquethead111: Sorry, No experience with the solar powered skylights. With one of my solatubes, I did have a globe bayonet installed inside so It could double up as a light in the evening. I just run a low watts incandescent bulb, but an LED is definitely the way to go. If u do, pick one up that u can alternate between cool and warm white.

                Bunnings has alternate brands that seem to be cheaper and do the same job. Just make sure you get a competent tradie to install it.

        • bobz79 on 12/05/2020 - 11:06

          Sun tunnels are useless, it looks and feels like an oyster light!

          Spend a little more and get proper openable glass skylights, a big difference! We have both…
          https://www.velux.com.au/products/skylights

          If you are short on money get a fixed (non-openable) one. Don't forget motorized blinds.

          My living room doubles up as a media (projector) with a few clicks.

  • kramkramkram on 11/05/2020 - 11:16

    I lived in the 2nd level of an northeast-facing unit in NSW. Direct Sunlight up to 11:30 am. I love it.

    I used to rent a west-facing unit and my wife hates it in the afternoon.

  • OzHunterNSW on 11/05/2020 - 13:01

    Depends what is to your left side.

    You may get morning sun… but who is up then.

    The best is north facing….

    During winter you will be cold cold cold.

    You will use more lights = more electricity bills.

    DONT DO IT

  • Member 0230 on 11/05/2020 - 13:29
    +1

    Are mirrors to redirect sunlight a possibility for you?

    You can use internal mirrors (opposite windows) to increase what morning sunlight you have: How to Use Mirrors to Increase the Sunlight in Your Home

    Or you can use external mirrors to bounce afternoon sunlight from the yard or garden into your home. The ultimate are heliostats — like these Norwegians have been using to brighten their town — Rjukan sun: the Norwegian town that does it with mirrors

  • Jared17 on 11/05/2020 - 15:37
    +1

    Morning sun is better than afternoon sun.

    • raquethead111 on 11/05/2020 - 15:51

      why so?

      • kirbycario on 11/05/2020 - 17:19
        +3

        afternoon sun from the west is generally to be avoided, its very hot and will heat up everything especially so during summer

  • shaybisc on 11/05/2020 - 15:49

    Is having all the windows in a unit facing in the same direction a common practice? It's a terrible idea - no cross ventilation - light only half a day- but I suppose it's necessary in many cases.

  • kirbycario on 11/05/2020 - 17:22

    for the issue of cross-ventilation, you could leave the front door open and that should solve the issue lol
    .

    but dont do that, for security issues, also your front door is a fire door so should generally be left closed

  • OzzyOzbourne on 11/05/2020 - 20:18
    -3

    Sun rises in the east

    • Arthur Dunger on 11/05/2020 - 20:52
      +1

      And sets in the west.

    • OzzyOzbourne on 12/05/2020 - 11:40

      Why neg? It's true. Op didn't seem to know this and has edited their post now they realise they'll get sun in the morning because it rises in the east and their property will face east.

      Not exactly sure how you can live long enough to buy a property without knowing which direction the sun rises, nor how to use Google, but hey ho!

  • Sweetnsour on 11/05/2020 - 21:37

    Certain aspects of apartments have pros and cons. There is no magic bullet you can fix apart from mirrors, lighter paint and electrical lights. If you can't compromise then look for another place.

    The sun is one thing you can't alter or renovate, just like location.

  • TheMindsetTraveller on 12/05/2020 - 08:47

    I have lived in an apartment for 15 years; lived in a north facing, south facing, then east facing.

    For me in rank order is 1. privacy 2. space and 3. location.

    Why privacy? I like to be able to open my doors/windows/blinds for as much of the day as possible without others seeing in. It is almost impossible to get complete privacy but I want to be as high as I can with the nearest building as far away as possible. Lots of these high density stuff means it is hard to find, so these apartments command better value. If I could get privacy but south facing, I would take that over a less private north facing apartment. That's just me.

    1. Space is important, preferably with a large terrace for indoor/outdoor. I would dislike it alot IF I had all the space inthe world but was surrounded by windows and boxed in. Being able to get onto the terrace and get some air, watch the world go by.

    2. The main reason for apartment living is being able to live in a good location without paying much more for having land.

    • raquethead111 on 12/05/2020 - 09:36

      Thats really great insight mate. appreciate it. In terms on aspect then, does that bother you at all?

      • TheMindsetTraveller on 12/05/2020 - 09:54
        +1

        For me, aspect isn't the most important thing. We lived in a south facing 70 sqm for about 8 years, we could leave our blinds to our living and bedroom open pretty much all day and felt our privacy wasn't too compromised. Having the doors open most of the time gave us a 'bigger' sense of space and not closed in but the downsize was that there was rarely any direct sun which made the unit much colder. We had a north facing apartment which was bigger but felt smaller as we had to close our blinds more often ie felt more closed in.

        In terms of east / north facing, the sunlight was great but it again depends on the location of the rooms. My personal preference was living room with east facing window and bedrooms that are west facing. If I had a balcony, again west facing for me as the sunsets you can still enjoy the sun/set and residual heat. We had a large east facing terrace / amazing city views etc but even during summer, it got cold up there and with a bit of wind flow, we entertained indoors rather than on our deck.

        At the end of the day, you will definitely have to compromise. For me, privacy, space, location in that order, then aspect.

        • raquethead111 on 12/05/2020 - 10:00

          well put! thank you.

          • zealmax on 12/05/2020 - 12:00
            +1

            @raquethead111: You will like the north facing apartment better. Unless you are a vampire. It costs a bit extra but you will get a bit extra when you sell too.

  • Dr Prepper on 12/05/2020 - 12:30

    1000 lumens

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