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toddhlynch
Member
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# Posted: 3 Nov 2022 04:16pm
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For those of you who already have your cabin built, what is your favorite and/or least favorite thing about your cabin relating to the sun? (non-solar energy)
And were there any design decision you made that turned out really well or that you wish you could change regarding the sun?
The sun plays such a large role in most peoples designs and planning, I am looking to see how that translates into practice.
For example, I am looking for things along the lines of:
Positive:
[ ] On winter mornings I love having my coffee on the front porch which faces southeast.
[ ] On hot summer afternoons I love having a beer on the covered porch protected from the sun.
[ ] I love the sun waking me up through my east facing bedroom window.
[ ] I love watching the sunset from my living room window
[ ] I love stepping out my door on winter mornings and having the sun hit me.
[ ] I love how the overhangs keep the Summer sun off the windows keeping us cool.
[ ] During the day we spend all of our time at the table because it is in the sun and never sit on the couch.
Negative:
[ ] I hate the glare of the sun in my eyes while sitting on the couch.
[ ] I hate how hot my bedroom gets on summer mornings
[ ] I hate how hot the cabin gets in the afternoons because I have too many West facing windows.
[ ] We never use our deck in the fall because it is on the North side and does not get any sun during the day.
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Atlincabin
Member
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# Posted: 3 Nov 2022 08:07pm
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Can't say I hate anything, but I have added some shading to the west windows because of the afternoon sun. Worth considering what time of year you will be using the cabin most and how sun position affects that, for good or bad. Same for morning-afternoon-evening. We're summer-only users, so winter sun angles were of very low priority (as is the sun angle at 60 degrees north!) other than a small vertical solar panel to keep my battery bank topped up.
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frankpaige
Member
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# Posted: 3 Nov 2022 08:55pm
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Sunshine in the afternoon on the deck. Best view.
Sometimes I think of deck for morning coffee? But, the view is better at the bench 100 feet away from the cabin. And a better view. A conundrum for sure! But, more beer is drank than coffee.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 3 Nov 2022 10:02pm - Edited by: ICC
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I don't care one way or the other about the morning sunshine lighting up my bedroom. Much of the year I am up before the sun.
But my house and cabin are situated so the deck, porch and/or patio are on the east end of the structures. I don't use them in the morning, I use them in the afternoon or evening. Some of the year the sun is too bright, too hot in the west. There are areas that are roofed and areas that are not. Fans for air circulation under the roofs is wanted.
My windows are all triple pane Low-E glass on the house and dual pane Low-E on the cabin. They help a lot in keeping the heat on the warm side of the glass. My window heights and roof overhangs were calculated to provide maximum shade on the south side glass with the summer sun higher in the sky. That helps keep the inside cooler in summer as well.
My views are north and south and are great in both locations, so that is where the windows are located. I also have motorized exterior shades on the southside windows of the house to stop much of the summer sun's heat before the sun's rays hit the glass. Press a button for up or down.
Hot summer afternoons don't find me outside unless I need to work.
I have heat pump A/C and heating at the house. The cabin is at a high enough altitude that summer heat is not much of a problem.
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jhp
Member
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# Posted: 4 Nov 2022 02:49pm
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Quoting: ICC deck, porch and/or patio are on the east end of the structures. I don't use them in the morning, I use them in the afternoon or evening.
This, 100%.
Mornings are nice watching the sun come up on the porch, afternoons you get the shade.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 4 Nov 2022 04:11pm
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Situate the cabin best for solar south (@N-hemi) for solar array, the windows and decks/patio for the view, suitable overhangs or extensions for some window shading to south to min. solar gain in summer. Dont need that to the north but if its a nice view a 'rain-roof' to sit under with a cuppa might be nice. My wife would so like a veranda all around to pick wherever is the best to sit for the day conditions; makes a lot of sense.
Fwiw, I grew up in the days of 'lawn-chairs', set 'em in the lawn for whatever suited ya. Now its all 'deck or patio chairs' so ya gotta build a deck or patio to use 'em. Hmmm
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Irrigation Guy
Member
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# Posted: 4 Nov 2022 10:27pm - Edited by: Irrigation Guy
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My cabin faces almost due south but slightly to the east. We get sunrises through the bedroom window. We have a covered front porch that provides shade in the summer and we have lots of large windows facing south. In the winter on clear days when the sun shining the cabin will stay at 60 degrees without the heat running on 15-20 degree day. It really worked out well that the best placement for winter solar gain is the same placement for the best view. The middle pic is actually the full moon this past Columbus Day weekend
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Princelake
Member
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# Posted: 6 Nov 2022 05:25pm
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In the summer the sun comes up shining in my bed side windows. There are no windows on the wall where the heat of the day hits. The sun set is at the front with all the windows.
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countrygirl
Member
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# Posted: 8 Nov 2022 11:21am
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Sun set over the cabin.
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BRADISH
Member
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# Posted: 8 Nov 2022 03:04pm
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Favorite thing?
These sunset views via a wall of windows.
Added bonus was that this orientation give me a great southern facing wall for solar panels.
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