House orientation on a lot is the direction the house and its main rooms face. It decides which rooms get morning sun, which windows take the July heat, where the wind hits the patio and how long ice stays on the driveway. In Wichita the short version is this: put the most glass on the south side with an overhang above it, keep west-facing glass small, shelter the outdoor space from the south wind, and avoid a driveway that sits in the house’s winter shadow. On a subdivision lot you cannot turn the house much, but you can choose which rooms go on which side.
This guide to house orientation on a lot gives the local numbers and applies them to lots that face each of the four directions.
The local numbers
| Factor | Wichita figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Latitude | About 37.7 degrees north | Geographic location |
| Noon sun height, summer solstice | 75.75 degrees above the horizon | Calculated from latitude |
| Noon sun height, winter solstice | 28.87 degrees | Calculated from latitude |
| Sunrise and sunset in midsummer | Northeast and northwest | Calculated |
| Sunrise and sunset in midwinter | Southeast and southwest | Calculated |
| Average wind | 11.5 mph from the south-southwest | National Weather Service |
| Days at or above 100 degrees | 12.4 per year | National Weather Service |
| Annual snowfall | 12.7 inches | National Weather Service |
| Heating and cooling degree days | 4,413 heating, 1,773 cooling | National Weather Service |
| Climate zone | 4A, mixed-humid | U.S. Department of Energy |
The noon sun angles come from a simple formula: 90 minus the latitude, plus 23.44 degrees in summer and minus 23.44 in winter. Wichita needs more heating than cooling over a year, but the summer afternoons are what people remember. Good orientation helps with both.
Sun: why south is the easy side
In summer the midday sun is nearly overhead on the south side. In winter it is low. That difference lets a simple roof overhang do two jobs.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s passive solar guidance says the main windows should face within 30 degrees of true south and stay unshaded from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the heating season, with overhangs sized to shade them in summer.
East and west are harder. The sun is low in the sky in the morning and late afternoon, so an overhang does little. West glass takes direct sun at the hottest time of day. East glass gets the same low sun in the cool of the morning, which most people like in a kitchen.
North windows receive almost no direct sun. They give even light that suits an office or a studio, and they lose heat in winter.
Wind
Wichita’s average wind is 11.5 mph from the south-southwest. Winter cold fronts come from the north and northwest.
- A patio on the south or southwest side is exposed on most warm days. An east or northeast patio, or one tucked into an inside corner, is calmer.
- A front door facing north takes the winter wind. A recessed entry or a porch with a side wall helps.
- The garage makes a good buffer on the north or west side.
- On open acreage the effect is stronger. See building on acreage near Wichita.
Which rooms go on which side
| Side of the house | Good uses | Why |
|---|---|---|
| South | Great room, dining, main windows | Winter sun, easy summer shading |
| East | Kitchen, breakfast area, primary bedroom, covered patio | Morning light, afternoon shade |
| North | Office, garage, closets, baths, mechanical room | Even light or no need for sun |
| West | Garage, laundry, storage, few windows | Blocks afternoon heat |
No plan gets all of this. The aim is to get the two or three rooms you use most onto their best sides.
How house orientation on a lot works in a subdivision
Most Wichita streets run on a north-south and east-west grid, so most lots face one of four directions. The street sets where the front door and garage go. What changes is what the backyard and the main living rooms see.
| Lot faces | Backyard faces | What to expect | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | South | Sunny backyard and rear rooms. Front door and driveway in winter shade | Put living rooms at the back. Expect ice to linger on the driveway |
| South | North | Sunny front. Backyard shaded by the house, cool patio | Bring south light in through front rooms. A north patio is pleasant in July |
| East | West | Hot backyard on summer afternoons | Cover the patio or deck. Limit west glass or shade it |
| West | East | Garage and front take the afternoon sun. Backyard shaded in the evening | A good lot for evening patio use. Keep front windows modest |
A plan can also be mirrored. Flipping a floor plan left to right moves the garage and the bedrooms to the opposite sides without changing a single room. It is one of the simplest changes to make. See can you modify existing house plans.
The driveway and garage
In midwinter the noon sun is less than 29 degrees above the horizon, so a house casts a shadow to the north that is nearly twice as long as the house is tall. A driveway on the north side of the house sits in that shadow. Snow and ice stay longer there than on a south-facing drive.
West-facing garage doors heat up in the afternoon. A side-load garage can turn the doors away from the west sun and from the street at once. See garage layout planning.
Views, privacy and noise
House orientation on a lot is not only about weather.
- View. Decide what you want to see from the kitchen sink and the great room. A pond, a tree line or a reserve behind the lot is worth pointing the main rooms toward.
- Privacy. Look at where the neighbors’ windows and decks are, or will be. Bedroom windows that face a neighbor’s patio need to be smaller or higher.
- Noise. If the lot backs onto a busy road, put the garage, closets and baths on that side and the bedrooms on the other.
- Slope. A walkout or daylight basement faces the low side of the lot, whatever the compass says. See what is a mid-level walkout.
When these pull against the sun, the view usually wins and shading solves the rest. A covered deck or screened porch on the west side makes a west view livable.
Put it on the site plan
House orientation on a lot is decided on the site plan, before the floor plan is final. The north arrow, the setbacks, the slope and the street are all on that one sheet. Our guide on how to read a site plan explains it, and Wichita residential setback requirements shows how much room you have to shift or turn the house. If you have not bought yet, compare lots with orientation in mind. See design a house before buying land.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best direction for a house to face?
For house orientation on a lot in this region, there is no single best direction. In this climate, a house whose main living rooms and largest windows face south, with overhangs, is the easiest to keep comfortable. That can be achieved on a lot facing any direction by arranging the rooms.
What is the most desirable house orientation?
For evening patio use in a hot-summer climate, an east-facing backyard has the advantage, because the house shades it. A south-facing backyard gets the most sun. It depends on how you use the outdoor space.
Which side of the house facing is not good?
Large areas of unshaded west-facing glass are the hardest to live with in a Kansas summer. A west front is fine. West windows need to be limited or shaded.
Does orientation affect energy bills?
Yes. The Department of Energy’s guidance is to favor south glass and reduce window area on the north, east and west sides in climates with real winters. The size of the effect depends on the house.
Sources
- Annual climate normals, National Weather Service Wichita
- Days of 100 degrees or more, National Weather Service Wichita
- Passive solar homes, U.S. Department of Energy
- Guide to determining climate regions by county, U.S. Department of Energy
Place the house before you draw it
MidWest Plan Design prepares residential site plans that set the house on the lot with sun, wind and grade in mind. Gary Wilbert has more than 30 years of residential design experience. Call 316-806-2492 or request a consultation.