Windows Solar Collectors

We first looked at this house in April. Now it has green grass, pots full of flowers and stairs leading up to the front door. The builder was there and so were a lot of other nosy people like us. Inside, the floor was finished in slate, engineered hardwood and carpet in the basement. Some rooms had vaulted ceilings and there were quirky windows everywhere, although the windows faced the wrong way so the light coming in was cold. At one point I was in the kitchen, opening cupboards, admiring the solid black granite counter top when a chill come over me. Out I went into the sunlight. The house faces west. The big overhang on the long south side (RHS in the photo) prevents the sun from shinning into the house. I doubt even in winter, when the sun is lower in the sky, will it be able to stretch its rays underneath and far back enough to shine on the kitchen floor.

Before we built our house we spent the whole of one summer looking at land with an eye for a southern aspect and a view. At building time we situated the house so it faced south where the view is. On hot summer days the big windows and three foot overhang are enough to keep most of the suns warmth outside. In winter the sun, now lower in the sky, shines it's rays all day into the house and we bask in its radient heat.

I don't understand the fear people have of being too hot, especially in this northern climate when the numbers of really hot days can be counted on one hand, besides sunshine makes me feel better.