Man regrets buying HDB flat after realising it faces the western sun — says he and his wife get BBQ-ed every afternoon

SINGAPORE: A man took to social media to vent about a big mistake he made when buying his HDB flat — its sun-facing orientation.

In a recent post on the r/askSingapore Reddit forum, he talked about his regret, saying that his flat basically turns into an oven from noon onwards, making it super uncomfortable to even hang out in the living room.

“Me and my wife were sold by the view of the unit. When we were at the viewing. Aircon is on as usual. However, after purchasing and signing the OTP. I realised it has the western sun!!!” he exclaimed.

“Now every afternoon between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. We are BBQ-ed. To the extent that I even got a heat rash in my living room while playing a game.”

Still, despite the sweltering afternoons, the man said he and his wife “love the flat” because everything else is perfect, and that they “can live with this one regret”.

Curious if others have had similar experiences, he asked the Reddit community, “What were your regrets after purchasing your humble abode?”

“The western sun can actually be good.”

In the discussion thread, many Singaporean Redditors shared their own regrets, with some revealing common issues that they hadn’t noticed during the initial viewing.

One Redditor said, “I bought a resale condo. It was an older unit so didn’t realise it would have water leakage issues, and because the second floor had to fight off a rat infestation, killed 12+ rats over the span of a month.”

Another commented, “Resale condo. When I viewed it, it was always in the afternoon. When I moved in, I realized I lived opposite a disco and a KTV. Fighting, loud music, and KTV girls are always nearby. Upside, if I call the police, they appear within 2 minutes. (Yes, I timed them).”

A third shared, “Noise. All windows and bedrooms in the apartment are facing a big main road four lanes in each direction. Noisy in the day, and night when vehicles like to zoom down at high speed.”

Some also shared their own struggles with sun exposure. Like the man who posted originally, they discovered their flats were also hit by the blazing afternoon sun, turning their homes into saunas. One of them recommended installing blackout curtains or reflective films on the windows as a solution to keep the heat at bay.

Others, meanwhile, suggested getting creative with plants or installing window blinds that could help regulate the temperature while adding some greenery or style to the room.

One Redditor also tried to cheer the man up by pointing out that a flat that faces the western sun also has a benefit. They wrote, “In another way, the western sun can actually be good. Yes, it feels like being BBQ-ed, but on the other hand, your house will have lesser booklice and moulded walls.”

Tips for staying cool

According to Pacco Films, a company known for providing top-quality window films in Singapore, west-facing apartments can really heat up around 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., as that’s when the sun is closest to your unit. Temperatures inside can soar to as high as 35°C, making it feel pretty unbearable.

To combat this, it is recommended that residents close all windows and curtains/blinds to block out as much sunlight as possible, use heat insulation paint for the walls, invest in block-out curtains, and apply window films to rooms that experience serious heat issues.

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Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)