At the stage of designing private houses, it is necessary to take into account the features of a particular region of construction and its climatic zone. Experts assure that the key to success is not only the correct choice of the type of foundation and layout features, but also the use of building materials specially designed for use in given weather conditions and at certain temperatures.
A reliable foundation is the key to the reliability, strength and durability of the entire building. The design features of the foundation, its type, are its main differences during construction in different regions and on different soils. In construction, there is an “iron” rule – the foundation of the building must be located below the freezing point of the soil.
When building in the northern regions, where the soil can freeze more than 2 meters, the foundation must be laid even to a greater depth, otherwise the building may “lead” over time. A special foundation construction technology is used in the construction of houses in regions with permafrost, for example, in Transbaikalia or Eastern Siberia.
In this case, the foundation must provide a rigid bond with permafrost soil and have effective thermal insulation of the lower floor of the building, otherwise the house may fail when the soil thaws. In this case, one of the best options is the construction of stuffed piles using TISE technology. The construction process takes place in several stages: from the beginning, the top layer of soil is removed in order to lower the thawing boundary as low as possible; then the soil is drilled and the piles are poured, and after they have completely hardened, the pit is covered with coarse sand and a heat-insulating layer is arranged. With such a construction of the foundation, the cold from below (from the bowels of the earth) will sharply raise the thawing boundary, while the lower part of the supports (piles) will be firmly frozen into the ground.
In addition, pile foundations of various design designs are widely used in regions with a high probability of flooding and flooding. If the construction of a house is planned on soils where the water height can rise high enough, then a solid foundation structure will simply become indispensable here. In this case, the foundation will act as a stand that has a monolithic structure and passes under the entire building area, which will rise or fall along house, depending on the level of groundwater. In the case of building houses on hilly, uneven terrain, it is recommended to use a strip type of foundation.
The strip foundation can have both a monolithic structure and a structure assembled from special foundation blocks. It is a support around the entire perimeter of the building, as well as internal capital walls. Depending on the features of the construction, it may have a variable height (different for different parts of the building). When developing a house project, the geoclimatic conditions of the region must be taken into account.
So there are a number of specific rules for designing houses for warmer or colder areas. For example, in areas where the annual rate of precipitation in the form of snow is relatively large (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Kamchatka, Ural), additional strengthening of the foundation and roof is carried out; in the northern regions – they use a compact layout of buildings, without breaks and bends in the outer walls with additional insulation of the floors of the first floors, the construction of small compact windows, and an increased area of entrance vestibules.
For different climates, the necessary minimum wall thickness and the thermal insulation characteristics of the insulation used are selected. These requirements apply to windows as well. So for the middle lane, one- or two-chamber double-glazed windows are perfect, and for a strip with a harsh winter, three-chamber ones are more suitable. The thickness of their frames is also of great importance. When designing houses in hot areas, it is not recommended to build houses with more than one floor, since in this case the cooling effect of the earth is less felt, and the influence of sunlight is more pronounced, which greatly heats the premises. The arrangement of semi-basement cool floors in this case is only welcome. Also, during construction in the southern regions, it is necessary to provide for the implementation of shading of verandas and terraces, the installation of an effective air conditioning and ventilation system for the premises, all kinds of sunscreens (blinds, shutters, visors, etc.).
We should not forget about one more important factor, which must also be taken into account when designing a house – the illumination of the interior. Proper insolation, in other words exposure to sunlight, of the local area and rooms must be thought out in advance in order to plan sufficient light openings and the correct depth of the rooms. At the same time, the architect is obliged to correctly orient the house so that, if possible, a sufficient amount of light gets inside all its rooms. You can decide on the optimal location of the house according to the cardinal directions yourself by carefully observing the illumination of your site during a sunny day.
Make a copy of the plan of your site with buildings, trees and fences marked on it. Mark dark places on the plan in the form of strokes in the morning (800-900), in the daytime (1200-1300) and in the evening (1600-1700). By the end of the day, you will have a kind of sketch on your hands: triple hatching will indicate complete blackout, double and single hatching will indicate temporary blackout zones. In addition to the hatched places, there will be areas of full illumination on the plan.
Based on these data, you will be able to correctly position and orient not only the house, but also choose the right places for arranging flower beds, recreation areas, etc. The topography of the site under construction can also affect the correct design of the location of the house. In this case, areas with a slope (more than 15%) and without it (less than 15%) are distinguished. If you have a relatively flat area, there are practically no large restrictions on the placement of the house.
If you have a plot with a slope, then there are a number of restrictions. The most optimal location for the house in this case is the southern slope, which is more protected from the winds and maximally illuminated. On the western and eastern slopes, it is best to place the house closer to the northern border of the site. If the slope of the site has a northern orientation, then the house must be located closer to the western side in the middle of the slope. The latter option is not very successful both in terms of illumination and in terms of costs during its construction. In this case, it is necessary to either add soil and arrange supports, or level the site for construction. In this case, you can find several positive aspects: visually, such a house becomes more picturesque and attractive, and in the basement you can perfectly place a workshop, garage or summer kitchen with access directly to the courtyard.
An important point is not only the correct placement of the house on the site, but also the thoughtful internal layout of the rooms. The best is the orientation of living rooms to the south (warmer side), and various utility rooms to the north (colder). This placement allows you to significantly save on the cost of heating and lighting rooms during operation. It is advisable to protect the western and northern sides of the house from the winds with various protective screens in the form of green hedges, fences, outbuildings.
When planning rooms, you must follow a simple rule. To the north it is recommended to locate kitchens, garages, technical rooms (thermal zone up to 100C), to the east – kitchens, bedrooms, offices, children’s rooms (up to 150C), to the west – living rooms, bedrooms, dressing rooms, verandas (up to 150C), and to south – living rooms, dining rooms, verandas (up to 220C). At the same time, adjacent rooms should not differ in temperature parameters by more than 80C (for example, the southern dining room cannot border on the garage or the northern kitchen).
Let’s take a closer look at each of the interiors.
Living room.
It is one of the main rooms in the house, which is usually connected to the kitchen and dining room. In many projects, the natural continuation of the living room is the most glazed veranda. By far, the most ideal orientation for a living room is south or west.
Kitchen.
The ideal location of the kitchen is to the north or east, since only in this case the heat coming from the stove will be partially “extinguished” by the coolness of the room, and not “doubled” in the case of its southern orientation. In this case, additional lamps must be installed to compensate for insufficient sunlight on the working surfaces.
Bedroom.
There are no unequivocal recommendations on the location of bedrooms, since its location directly depends on the biorhythms of the owners themselves. So, for example, for “larks” the southeast and east side is best suited, and for “owls” – the northwest or west side. Try not to orient the bedroom strictly to the north or south, since in the first case you will not see the sun in the bedroom at all, and in the second you will not know where to hide from it on a hot day.
In addition, when designing a house, other factors must be taken into account. So it is quite rare to take into account the prevailing direction and strength of the wind, but in vain, since strong winter winds are characteristic of some areas. In such areas, it is recommended to make the roof more gentle so that the snow does not linger on it.
When choosing window structures, it is necessary to calculate the wind load, which is especially relevant in the steppe regions. Not the last factor in the geographical features of construction is the choice of building materials: facade and roofing coatings, cement, paint, varnish, etc. If you pay attention to the packaging, you will notice that many building materials are produced with an indication of the optimal application temperatures and with an indication of climatic zones. The milder the climatic conditions for using the material, the cheaper it is. When buying building materials, pay attention to this, as there are cases when unscrupulous sellers sell goods that are completely not intended for a given climatic zone.
When choosing materials, the first thing you need to pay attention to is frost resistance (for the northern regions) and heat resistance (for the south). This applies to both building materials and metal-plastic windows, entrance doors, facade coatings, etc.
Summing up, we can say with confidence that if, when building a house, we take into account the characteristics of the soil, climatic conditions, the location of the house relative to the cardinal points, and also use materials specially adapted to the relevant conditions in construction, then you can be completely confident in the durability, reliability and the strength of your home. Inside your home will always be cozy, comfortable and warm.
Good luck with your home building.