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Thread: How to reduce the sun's heat through our south facing windows in summer?

  1. #1
    Master mr noble's Avatar
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    How to reduce the sun's heat through our south facing windows in summer?

    Any suggestions about the best solutions would be greatly appreciated.

    Moved house toward the end of last summer. 3 rooms downstairs at the back of the house get full sun all day and get super hot like greenhouses.

    We have had some samples sent from https://abodewindowfilms.co.uk/ which I'm told will help reduce the heat and UV but won't make a huge difference unless we go for some dark mirror finish which will make the rooms too dark in winter.

    I was just wondering if I've overlooked any other solutions?

    Will net curtains help to reflect the heat??

  2. #2
    Master mr noble's Avatar
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    If we do go down the route of fitting a film, I think we decided this one was the best compromise between heat/glare reduction and light transmission.

    https://abodewindowfilms.co.uk/produ...ge-70-ultra-2/

  3. #3
    Grand Master Glamdring's Avatar
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    I have similar issues so will watch this thread with interest.

  4. #4
    Heat reflective film will cut down the heat by about 70%, I have it on my office Windows and had it put in about a year ago, also reduces light transmission a bit too which is also useful

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  6. #6
    Master mr noble's Avatar
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    Wife vetoed awnings. She said we have to be over 70 before she'd allow them.


    I wonder if nice net curtains on slim curtain poles would reduce the heat much?


  7. #7
    Craftsman
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    I think some kind of outside awning to stop the sunlight striking the glass would be the first step. Then some UV protecting interior blinds.

    Then an air conditioner.

    (I relaise this is a US shop but it may have some ideas) https://www.theshadestore.com

  8. #8
    Grand Master Glamdring's Avatar
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    Vertical blinds are my choice when I do make one. I agree that awnings are for old people; I may qualify chronologically but not mentally. I have the blinds in my kitchen. They let a lot of light through but do help when it's blistering in the low winter sun and the melting summer variety.

  9. #9
    Master
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    If awnings are out you need to fit film then. Internal blinds or curtains are just trying to bounce the heat back out through the glass; you'd be much better off stopping it coming in.

    If you don't like awnings look at sails: they're v. trendy
    https://duckduckgo.com/?q=sail+garde...ages&ia=images

    You might have to learn some sea shantys & how to put a reef in when it gets windy though.

  10. #10
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Pointy View Post
    If awnings are out you need to fit film then. Internal blinds or curtains are just trying to bounce the heat back out through the glass; you'd be much better off stopping it coming in.
    This is correct, another option to stop it coming in is external shutters.

  11. #11
    Master
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    Simple Move North, no issue wit sun oop ere lad!

  12. #12
    I got some thermal blackout blinds last year for our south facing bedrooms - they work really well, but naturally have to be down during the heat of the day so perhaps not ideal for your purposes. Got ours from blinds2go - duoshade themal - they have an aluminium lined honeycomb style construction. The summer before we fitted them we had to retreat downstairs at night to sleep during the heatwave but these made a big difference. They also completely block the early morning sun which was another big plus for us.

  13. #13
    Master mr noble's Avatar
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    Thanks guys. Some food for thought. The sails is a good idea and I’d not thought of vertical blinds either.

    Have got 3 quotes for film coming.

    It seems that the anode films Prestige 70 would be about £170 for the film, however the 3M stuff is said to hugely outperform the cheaper stuff, but is about £1500 for what I need!!

    I’m told that the cheap films contain metal and can really mess with mobile signals in your home.

    This is going to take more research than I’d thought!

  14. #14
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Pointy View Post
    If awnings are out you need to fit film then. Internal blinds or curtains are just trying to bounce the heat back out through the glass; you'd be much better off stopping it coming in.

    If you don't like awnings look at sails: they're v. trendy
    https://duckduckgo.com/?q=sail+garde...ages&ia=images

    You might have to learn some sea shantys & how to put a reef in when it gets windy though.
    Used to use two, one for the decking, the other as a hair brained attempt to cover a smoker before resorting to an awning for the bbq. A storm amazed me how many screws can be ripped from, along with heavy rawl plugs from solid brick.

    Blocking heat from entering is the best, as much as an awning might offend. Just take the frilly bit off


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  15. #15
    Banned
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    On the southern edge of the continent:

    In the apprtment of my gf:
    A retractable shade on the outside,
    translucent film (like for a glass bathroom door),
    a ´shade´ on the inside and
    a metal shutter.

    On the farm:
    Windows inside of the cove in thick wall,
    horizontal blinds on the outside,
    thick curtains on the inside
    and also a curtain on the outside of the doors (keeps the sun from heating the metal door).

  16. #16
    Master
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    You get film roller blinds that save you from being stuck with it on full days. Variety of shades of bronze, silver, gold etc.

  17. #17
    Master
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    We have a lovely open South facing plot and the house has some very large windows on that side.

    We've been here for 15+ years and we just manage the 'problem' with drawn curtains. During the summer we draw the curtains on the South side of the house after breakfast opening them again when the sun has moved round or if we want to use the room (unlikely we're more likely to be outside).

    The flip side of the problem is solar gain during the cooler months. On a sunny day like today we often don't need to put the heating on, film would presumably reduce/eliminate the affect.

    Our dining area is by one one of the windows and we are considering a (nice) Venetian blind at that one (inside the reveal so we can still have the cosiness of curtains too) to be able to have indirect light when we want to block the sun.

    It's a good problem to have! Drawing the curtains is a trivial effort compared with having the benefit of uncluttered clear windows.

    Oh and if awnings are for the elderly then surely even more so for net curtains.

  18. #18
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by mr noble View Post

    I’m told that the cheap films contain metal and can really mess with mobile signals in your home.
    As does that 'K' Glass coating on the inside of the double glazing. tbh it probably won't upset voice calls much since these are done at 2G frequencies. 3G or 4G data might be affected though. Ofcom published some results a few years back that showed that K glass double glazing knocks the signal down by 6dB at 2G mobile phone frequencies (down 75%). When you get to 4G or wifi bands it can go as high as 12dB (so down to about 6% of the original signal!!).

  19. #19
    Grand Master Glamdring's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by solwisesteve View Post
    As does that 'K' Glass coating on the inside of the double glazing. tbh it probably won't upset voice calls much since these are done at 2G frequencies. 3G or 4G data might be affected though. Ofcom published some results a few years back that showed that K glass double glazing knocks the signal down by 6dB at 2G mobile phone frequencies (down 75%). When you get to 4G or wifi bands it can go as high as 12dB (so down to about 6% of the original signal!!).
    Dad had K glass. My 4G signal when I visited was brilliant, faster than mine at home half a mile away. Odd.

  20. #20
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Glamdring View Post
    Dad had K glass. My 4G signal when I visited was brilliant, faster than mine at home half a mile away. Odd.
    Everyone has K glass.... certainly for the last 20 years anyway. It's a compulsory thing; I believe from the Tony B era. It's more reflective than normal glass.... causes more birds to fly into your windows and kill themselves :-(

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