Property exposure brief
The west patio that cooks at five
The dining table is open for dinner outside 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM.
The property, as mapped
The west patio that cooks at five at Denver (demonstration). 2 places are being read, against 4 things that stand in the way.
| The house | 21.3 ft | 100 per cent solid. Confirmed. |
|---|---|---|
| West fence | 5.9 ft | 95 per cent solid. Confirmed. |
| Neighbour's house | 23.6 ft | 100 per cent solid. Confirmed. |
| The maple | 27.9 ft | 85 per cent solid, seasonal. Confirmed. |
How The dining table behaves in September
The dining table is open for dinner outside 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM.
About 4 hours in September.
The sun reaches this spot from 7:00 AM and leaves it at 6:20 PM. At 1:51 PM it goes into shade because of The maple. At 4:55 PM it goes into sun because of The maple. At 6:39 PM it goes into shade because of West fence.
| Direct sun | 8.7 hours | of 12.3 hours of daylight |
|---|---|---|
| Sky visible from here | 70 per cent | The house takes 70%, The maple takes 24%, Neighbour's house takes 6% |
| Usable light | 28.3 mol/m² a day |
Whether it works for dinner outside
The dining table does not work for dinner outside right now, and privacy exposure is why.
| Privacy exposure | 100 / 100 against at most 45 | Being watched while you eat is a real reason people stop using a terrace. |
|---|
Privacy and view
Neighbour's upstairs window has a clear line from 43 feet away, 15 degrees above the seat. Halfway along that line a barrier would have to reach about 9.8 feet. A 6.3 ft screen 7.7 ft out is the smallest thing that closes every line that matters. It leaves the view essentially intact.
| A 6.3 ft screen 7.7 ft out | 6.3 ft × 8.8 ft | Privacy 100 → 8, view 68 → 68. Closes every marked line. your land. |
|---|---|---|
| A 7.6 ft screen 12.8 ft out | 7.6 ft × 7.5 ft | Privacy 100 → 8, view 68 → 68. Closes every marked line. your land. |
| A 9.3 ft screen 19.2 ft out | 9.3 ft × 5.9 ft | Privacy 100 → 8, view 68 → 68. Closes every marked line. your land. |
| A 11.5 ft screen 28 ft out | 11.5 ft × 3.9 ft | Privacy 100 → 8, view 68 → 68. Closes every marked line. your land. |
What to try, cheapest first
A 7.1 ft screen 10.7 ft from the seat is the smallest change that moves this. A 7.1 ft screen 10.7 ft from the seat fixes privacy exposure.
| A 7.1 ft screen 10.7 ft from the seat | +55 | a project. It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season. |
|---|---|---|
| An evergreen hedge to about 7 ft | +55 | a project. It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season. |
| Move the table 6.6 ft east | +0 | move it. It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season. |
| A second seat 19.7 ft east | +0 | move it. It takes the summer sun and leaves most of the winter sun, which is the behaviour worth paying for. |
| A 9.8 ft umbrella | +0 | an afternoon. It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season. |
| Shield Back door light | +0 | an afternoon. It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season. |
What survives out here
Things stay wet here for 6 months of the year. That, and not rainfall, is what decides what survives. Untreated softwood is the family this place punishes hardest. Family behaviour is a starting point. The exact product still decides the outcome.
| Tempered glass | well suited | The surface here peaks near 136°F. Ask the supplier: What is the edge detail, and how will it be cleaned on the outside face? |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel | well suited | The surface here peaks near 136°F. Ask the supplier: Is it 304 or 316? Within a few miles of salt water that difference is the whole decision. |
| Weathering steel | well suited | The surface here peaks near 136°F. Ask the supplier: Is this a genuine weathering grade, and what does the datasheet say about wet-dry cycling and about run-off staining? |
| Exterior porcelain paver | well suited | The surface here peaks near 136°F. Ask the supplier: What is the slip classification, wet, and how is it being laid: pedestals, sand or mortar? |
| Gravel and self-binding aggregate | workable | The surface here peaks near 136°F. Ask the supplier: What size and shape is the aggregate, and is there an edge to keep it where it belongs? |
| Powder-coated aluminium | workable | The surface here peaks near 136°F. Ask the supplier: Is the powder coat rated to AAMA 2604 or 2605, and is the substrate marine-grade? |
What belongs here
About 36.9 moles of usable light a day with about 13 hours of direct sun in high summer. That is full sun, whatever the label on the plant says.
Of the groups in the reference set, moisture-loving marginal is the one that actually belongs in conditions like these. Anything planted here sits wet for 6 months of the year, so drainage is the decision before the plant is.
| Moisture-loving marginal | belongs here | About 36.9 moles a day against an ideal of 24. There is no stated ceiling for this group, but that is a lot more light than it is built for. Examples, not recommendations: Astilbe; Ligularia; Iris sibirica. |
|---|---|---|
| Rain garden and swale planting | belongs here | About 36.9 moles a day, against an ideal of 26. This is the right light band. Examples, not recommendations: Iris in damp ground; Switchgrass; Joe Pye weed in North America. |
| Narrow upright evergreen screen | wrong place | This spot sits wetter than this group tolerates. Wet feet kill far more plants than cold does. Examples, not recommendations: Columnar hornbeam; Italian cypress in mild dry climates; Upright yew in cool climates. |
| Broad evergreen hedge | wrong place | This spot sits wetter than this group tolerates. Wet feet kill far more plants than cold does. Examples, not recommendations: Yew; Portuguese laurel; Holly. |
| Deciduous hedge that holds its leaves | wrong place | This spot sits wetter than this group tolerates. Wet feet kill far more plants than cold does. Examples, not recommendations: Beech; Hornbeam. |
| Medium deciduous shade tree | wrong place | This spot sits wetter than this group tolerates. Wet feet kill far more plants than cold does. Examples, not recommendations: Field maple; Serviceberry; Hop hornbeam. |
The year at a glance
| Jan | 9 h sun | 13.3 mol light, would not dry within the day |
|---|---|---|
| Feb | 11 h sun | 19.1 mol light, would not dry within the day |
| Mar | 11 h sun | 25.8 mol light, would not dry within the day |
| Apr | 13 h sun | 33.5 mol light |
| May | 14 h sun | 37.2 mol light |
| Jun | 13 h sun | 45.5 mol light |
| Jul | 13 h sun | 42.8 mol light |
| Aug | 11 h sun | 35.6 mol light |
| Sep | 9 h sun | 27.6 mol light |
| Oct | 10 h sun | 21.8 mol light, would not dry within the day |
| Nov | 10 h sun | 15.3 mol light, would not dry within the day |
| Dec | 8 h sun | 11 mol light, would not dry within the day |
Where this stops
- Any freestanding barrier above about two metres carries real wind load into its footings and is likely to need consent. That is an engineer's calculation and a planning question, not a design one.
- Anything freestanding above about 1.8 metres is a wind-loaded structure and may need consent as well as footings.
- Check buried services before digging, and check mature spread against the boundary before planting.
- Anchoring and wind rating are the manufacturer's numbers, not ours. A cantilever umbrella in gusty conditions is a real hazard.
- Anything involving permanent wiring is an electrician's work.
- This is a decision instrument. It models sun, shade, sightlines, radiant heat and drying from the geometry it was given. It is not a structural, drainage, electrical or planning assessment, and it does not replace one.
Who to ask, and what to ask them
Everything this reading cannot answer goes to 7 places: a structural engineer, a drainage engineer, an electrician, your planning authority, local planting advice, a pool or spa installer and the manufacturer.
Inferred from the time zone America/Denver. A time zone identifies a country reasonably well and a county not at all, so nothing below is local to you.
A licensed professional engineer (PE), structural
Whether a wall, deck, post or fixing carries the thing you are proposing is a calculation about materials and connections. This product models sun, wind exposure and sightlines; it has never been told what the wall is made of or how the deck is framed.
Take these questions
- Will this fixing or footing carry the load, in the wind this site actually gets?
- What has to be opened up or exposed before that can be answered?
- Is there a version of this that avoids a structural question altogether?
Take these with you
- The contractor packet from this property, which has the dimensions and where each came from
- Photographs of the wall or frame the thing would fix to
- Anything you know about what is behind the surface
Where the register is
NCEES — licensure and verification — Licensing is by state; this points at the board that holds your state's register.
The 4 lines in this document that send you here
- Any freestanding barrier above about two metres carries real wind load into its footings and is likely to need consent. That is an engineer's calculation and a planning question, not a design one.
- Anything freestanding above about 1.8 metres is a wind-loaded structure and may need consent as well as footings.
- Anchoring and wind rating are the manufacturer's numbers, not ours. A cantilever umbrella in gusty conditions is a real hazard.
- This is a decision instrument. It models sun, shade, sightlines, radiant heat and drying from the geometry it was given. It is not a structural, drainage, electrical or planning assessment, and it does not replace one.
A drainage contractor or civil engineer
This product reads how long a surface stays wet from sun, shelter and shade. It does not know where the water goes afterwards, what the ground is made of below the top few inches, or what your drains are connected to.
Take these questions
- Where is this water going now, and where would it go after the change?
- Is there a connection or a soakaway involved, and is that something I am allowed to alter?
- What would a percolation or infiltration test cost here before anybody designs anything?
Take these with you
- The wetness reading and the months it is worst in
- Where the downspouts land and where water stands after rain
- Any drainage drawing that came with the property
Where the register is
USDA NRCS — Web Soil Survey — Free drainage class and infiltration context for your parcel, before you pay anybody.
The line in this document that sends you here
- This is a decision instrument. It models sun, shade, sightlines, radiant heat and drying from the geometry it was given. It is not a structural, drainage, electrical or planning assessment, and it does not replace one.
A licensed electrician
Outdoor lighting and anything powered near water is a wiring question with a legal answer, and this product models the light rather than the circuit.
Take these questions
- Is this circuit suitable for outdoors and for the distance involved?
- What protection does this need, and does the work have to be certified or inspected?
- Can the fixture be aimed or shielded the way I need without changing the wiring?
Take these with you
- Where the fixtures would go and what they are pointed at
- The distance from the nearest existing supply
Where the register is
Your state or county building department — Permitting and licence checks are local; the state consumer office lists who holds them.
The 2 lines in this document that send you here
- Anything involving permanent wiring is an electrician's work.
- This is a decision instrument. It models sun, shade, sightlines, radiant heat and drying from the geometry it was given. It is not a structural, drainage, electrical or planning assessment, and it does not replace one.
Your city or county planning and building department
Whether you are allowed to build a thing is decided by a local rule set that varies street by street. This product has no idea which rules apply to your address, and anything it said about consent would be a guess dressed as an answer.
Take these questions
- Does this need consent at this height, this footprint and this distance from the boundary?
- Is there anything specific to this property — a conservation designation, a covenant, an easement, an HOA rule?
- If it does not need consent, is there anything that would make it need one?
Take these with you
- The dimensions and the position relative to the boundary, which the contractor packet already states
- A site plan showing where it sits
- The property address, which is what everything above is actually keyed to
Where the register is
USA.gov — find your local government — Permits and setbacks are city or county; this finds the office that issues them.
The 3 lines in this document that send you here
- Any freestanding barrier above about two metres carries real wind load into its footings and is likely to need consent. That is an engineer's calculation and a planning question, not a design one.
- Anything freestanding above about 1.8 metres is a wind-loaded structure and may need consent as well as footings.
- This is a decision instrument. It models sun, shade, sightlines, radiant heat and drying from the geometry it was given. It is not a structural, drainage, electrical or planning assessment, and it does not replace one.
Your county Cooperative Extension office
This product names the kind of plant a place suits — the light, the moisture, the exposure it has to survive — and stops short of naming a species, because which species does that job well is a regional answer and a wrong one costs a season.
Take these questions
- What grows here that wants this much light and this much water?
- Which of those is a problem locally — invasive, disease-prone, or wrong for this soil?
- What is the honest mature size, rather than the label size?
Take these with you
- The light and moisture reading for the bed, which is the part most advice has to guess at
- Your hardiness zone if it is known, and the coldest temperature the place actually reaches
- A photograph of the bed at the hour it gets its light
Where the register is
USDA — find your Cooperative Extension office — Free, local, and the single most under-used resource in American gardening.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — Your zone, from your postcode.
The line in this document that sends you here
- Check buried services before digging, and check mature spread against the boundary before planting.
A pool or spa installer, plus your building department for barrier rules
This product reads the air, the light and the sightlines around water. Electrical bonding, barrier law, deck loading and water chemistry are all outside it, and each of them is a safety question rather than a comfort one.
Take these questions
- What does the deck have to carry with this full and occupied?
- What barrier or fencing rule applies at this address?
- What has to be bonded, and who signs that off?
Take these with you
- Where it would sit and what it sits on
- The distance to the nearest supply and to the boundary
Where the register is
CPSC — pool and spa safety — Barrier and entrapment guidance; local code still decides.
The line in this document that sends you here
- Any freestanding barrier above about two metres carries real wind load into its footings and is likely to need consent. That is an engineer's calculation and a planning question, not a design one.
The manufacturer or an approved installer
Wind ratings, fixing patterns and warranty conditions belong to whoever made the thing. This product can say what a change would do to the reading; it cannot say what voids the guarantee.
Take these questions
- What is the wind rating, and in what mounting?
- What does the warranty require of the installation and the maintenance?
- What is the actual lead time and what does it look like in five years?
Take these with you
- The exposure this product measured, including the windiest month
- The fixing surface you actually have
No register is named here, because this router does not know which country holds one for you. The questions above are the same wherever you are.
The line in this document that sends you here
- Anchoring and wind rating are the manufacturer's numbers, not ours. A cantilever umbrella in gusty conditions is a real hazard.
Nothing here says what the answer will be. These are registers rather than recommendations, and a name on one is a qualification rather than an endorsement.
What this was built on
- NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory, Solar Calculation Details
- ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals, Climatic Design Information, clear-sky solar model
- Oke; Steyn, Boundary Layer Climates and the sky view factor method
- ASHRAE Standard 55, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy
- International Journal of Climatology, Thorsson and others, Different methods for estimating the mean radiant temperature in an outdoor urban setting
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- ASCE 7, Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures
- DarkSky International, Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting
- Proceedings of the Royal Society A, Penman, Natural evaporation from open water, bare soil and grass
- ASTM and DIN 51130 ramp test, Slip resistance classification for pedestrian surfaces
- ISO 9223, Corrosion of metals and alloys, corrosivity of atmospheres
- ASTM C666, Resistance of concrete to rapid freezing and thawing
- American Architectural Manufacturers Association, Voluntary specifications for high performance organic coatings on aluminium
- Purdue University Horticulture, Faust and others, Daily light integral as a design metric for plant growth
The property record itself can be exported as a file and carried to another device. Nothing about this property has left your device unless you chose to send it somewhere.
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