Why a map beats a compass for house facing
A phone compass measures the Earth’s magnetic field. Inside or right next to a building, that field is distorted by reinforced concrete, steel grills, lifts, cars and wiring. Even a well-calibrated phone can be 10–30° off — enough to turn a north-east facing flat into a north-facing one. Maps are drawn to true north, so a line traced along your building on a map has no magnetic error. That is why surveyors and architects use plans and maps, not handheld compasses, for orientation.
If your building isn’t clearly drawn on the map, use the online Vastu compass instead: stand outside, a few metres from the building and away from parked cars, and take readings from two or three spots.
Facing directions in Vastu
In mainstream Vastu literature, the facing directions are commonly rated as follows. Remember that the exact door position along the wall (the 32-pada system) matters as much as the facing.
| Facing | Common rating | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| East | Ideal | East facing house Vastu |
| North | Ideal | North facing house Vastu |
| North-East | Ideal | — |
| West | Good | West facing house Vastu |
| North-West | Good | — |
| South | Neutral (depends on entrance pada) | South facing house Vastu |
| South-East | Neutral | — |
| South-West | Avoid (most texts) | — |