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Specification
Specify for summer, enjoy it in winter. A south elevation is the best orientation for a glazed room and the one most likely to become uncomfortable without a solar strategy.
Written by Windows in the Lakes · A trading name of Home Glazing Ltd · Last reviewed 21 September 2026
In short: a south-facing glazed extension will be the nicest room in the house for eight months of the year and difficult for the other four unless solar control, shading and ventilation are considered together at design stage.
It is possible to over-specify. An aggressive solar control coating on every face removes useful winter warmth and can leave the room feeling flat. A more considered approach is solar control where the sun is strongest, clearer glass where it is not, and shading that discriminates by season.
Regulatory and technical points in this guide should be checked against the current published guidance below, and against the specific circumstances of your property.
Guidance last reviewed 21 September 2026 by Windows in the Lakes
From a real Windows in the Lakes project
North West England · Full house · 4-panel slimline slider
Re-glazing a remodelled house where the cladding, canopy steelwork and pool terrace all had to align with the glazing rather than the other way round — with a full-width sliding run at ground floor and a rhythm of square apertures above that had to stay visually consistent across two elevations.
We set out the aperture sizes with the design team before the cladding battens were fixed, so every window sits centrally within the batten rhythm. The sliding run was surveyed after the canopy steel was in place and manufactured to that survey, giving a track and head detail concealed behind the soffit, and a threshold flush with the terrace paving.
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Glass Advice · 3 min read
Deal with the sun before it reaches the glass, specify solar control glass where you cannot, and give the room a real way to purge heat. Blinds alone are a poor substitute for all three.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Large glazed openings on sunny elevations can overheat rooms even in a cool climate. Solar control glass is the usual solution.
Glass Advice · 3 min read
Go generous and clear. A north elevation receives even, glare-free light and very little solar gain, so the priorities are daylight quantity, clarity and thermal performance.
Technical Advice · 3 min read
Large glazing brings welcome light and warmth in winter, but the same solar gain can overheat a south-facing room in summer without the right glass specification.
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