Now Face North

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As we all know from life and from fables, here in the northern hemisphere, north is the direction of cold and dark. Here by the golden gate our prevailing winds, especially in the spring, are from the northwest. Brrrrr. (Storm winds come from the south, but that's another story for another post.)

Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary

In San Francisco it is fairly easy to line yourself up with Ocean Beach on your left and say "OK, now I'm facing north." In Marin one's sense of north and south can be confused by the fact that the coast veers west, so the ocean is not necessarily to your left when you are facing north, it could be behind you. 

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If your property faces north, particularly if its located on the north side of a hill, your hours in the sunshine will be significantly fewer (especially in winter) than those of your neighbors on the other side of the hill.  So we see redwoods (who like it cool and damp) on the north side of the hill, while more heat and drought tolerant oaks and scrub grow on the south.

Norway Green Roofs

If you have a home on a north facing slope, you'll want to be extra mindful of gutter cleaning, keeping vegetation away from the structure and keeping your roof in good repair to keep your house dry and free of mold and dry rot. Otherwise you may end up with an unintentional green roof, which will slowly rot and eventually leak. Intentional green roofs  include extra support and a membrane to protect the structure from moisture. You'll also want to be sure your north facing home home is insulated and sealed tight against those cold north winds.

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Having said all that, many of our most iconic views are to the north and northwest, and northern light is lovely and consistant. There are plenty of really wonderful places to live on northern slopes, you just want to be aware of the reality of the climate effects, especially if you are looking at property in the summer, but are planning on living there all year round. Additionally, if you are very forward thinking, and want to install your own little wind turbine, some NW exposure is a good thing.