Solar film on windows
Discussion
Anyone done it? Aged parent is struggling with very large (nearly full wall) south facing windows on two bedrooms.
Looked at aircon (which gthey have in their home abroad) but seems overkill for a few months of the year on just two rooms.
Does it actually do what it says? How effective is it?
Looked at aircon (which gthey have in their home abroad) but seems overkill for a few months of the year on just two rooms.
Does it actually do what it says? How effective is it?
We have a large south west facing window on our landing and the sun sets shining straight into it and I thought that was at least partly responsible for the 30C temps upstairs.
During one heatwave I got up there and hung an old duvet cover over it on the outside while the wife was out. She went mad when she came home.
It didn't make any difference to the upstairs temperature at all.
During one heatwave I got up there and hung an old duvet cover over it on the outside while the wife was out. She went mad when she came home.
It didn't make any difference to the upstairs temperature at all.
We bought one of these a few years ago & it's very good indeed.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/EcoAir-Portable-Condition...
Not sure how efficient it is, and it's obviously going to have a cost to run, but have been very impressed by it.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/EcoAir-Portable-Condition...
Not sure how efficient it is, and it's obviously going to have a cost to run, but have been very impressed by it.
InformationSuperHighway said:
Nothing beats AC. Worth the investment compared to trying to faff with all the other options.
I have whole house ac. Ac Does of course work but the midday sun through large south facing areas of glass needs vast ac capacity to overcome.
Anyone that can be done to manage it helps. Solar glass. Slatted over hangs etc.
My house is north south - the difference in temperature between one side and other other is very significant. We had to update the ac in the master and kitchen which are south facing as they could not cope.
InformationSuperHighway said:
Nothing beats AC. Worth the investment compared to trying to faff with all the other options.
I have whole house ac. Ac Does of course work but the midday sun through large south facing areas of glass needs vast ac capacity to overcome.
Anyone that can be done to manage it helps. Solar glass. Slatted over hangs etc.
My house is north south - the difference in temperature between one side and other other is very significant. We had to update the ac in the master and kitchen which are south facing as they could not cope.
I’ve used it before, it’s better on the outside of glass, and if fitted well stays put.
The downside is reflections are very bright and intense, if the glass is concave (subtle) it can focus the light in an undesirable way.
Also in winter or even just an overcast day it makes the room noticeably darker.
The downside is reflections are very bright and intense, if the glass is concave (subtle) it can focus the light in an undesirable way.
Also in winter or even just an overcast day it makes the room noticeably darker.
Old school is best - shade the windows externally before the hot weather is forecast:
https://sunguard.nz/pivot-arm-awnings
https://sunguard.nz/pivot-arm-awnings
Jeremy-75qq8 said:
InformationSuperHighway said:
Nothing beats AC. Worth the investment compared to trying to faff with all the other options.
I have whole house ac. Ac Does of course work but the midday sun through large south facing areas of glass needs vast ac capacity to overcome.
Anyone that can be done to manage it helps. Solar glass. Slatted over hangs etc.
My house is north south - the difference in temperature between one side and other other is very significant. We had to update the ac in the master and kitchen which are south facing as they could not cope.
The sun is hitting your house at about 1kW per square metre.
Cheap portable aircon has a COP of 2 or so, good aircon is better, but you can rack up a pretty big electricity bill fighting nature the 'dumb American way'.
Seems to me, a half-decent stab at 'summer proofing' the building is a good idea.
Simple stuff, like having curtains with pale linings and closing them against the sun can make a big difference.
This month, we've been closing the curtains in our west-facing lounge for the afternoon, it leaves it a lot cooler in the evening when we want to use the room.
These days, who'd buy a car without aircon?
So why not have it in your house?
Preferably matched with a bunch of solar panels to power it on sunny days....
We have these and they make a big difference to the heat on the south side of our house. From here: https://www.blinds-2go.co.uk/perfect-fit they take 5 minutes to install
The problem with all those things is the energy is already in the house, stuck between the window and the high reflectance liner.
Our big patio doors were aluminum and the frames got too hot to touch, the glass felt like it was boiling hot, and the kitchen was still stupidly hot on a hot day.
Plus the patio got stupidly hot because all that energy was bouncing back off the glass onto the floor also.
External shutters are what would do the job. All the energy is then absorbed externally and radiated into the air, rather than reflected or captured inside the house etc.
Our big patio doors were aluminum and the frames got too hot to touch, the glass felt like it was boiling hot, and the kitchen was still stupidly hot on a hot day.
Plus the patio got stupidly hot because all that energy was bouncing back off the glass onto the floor also.
External shutters are what would do the job. All the energy is then absorbed externally and radiated into the air, rather than reflected or captured inside the house etc.
Mr Whippy said:
The problem with all those things is the energy is already in the house, stuck between the window and the high reflectance liner.
Our big patio doors were aluminum and the frames got too hot to touch, the glass felt like it was boiling hot, and the kitchen was still stupidly hot on a hot day.
Plus the patio got stupidly hot because all that energy was bouncing back off the glass onto the floor also.
External shutters are what would do the job. All the energy is then absorbed externally and radiated into the air, rather than reflected or captured inside the house etc.
Ah, I wondered that but thanks for the explanation. I suppose it's better than nothing. Putting it outside might be an idea if it's not on a window accessible by the public (who might steal the blinds!).Our big patio doors were aluminum and the frames got too hot to touch, the glass felt like it was boiling hot, and the kitchen was still stupidly hot on a hot day.
Plus the patio got stupidly hot because all that energy was bouncing back off the glass onto the floor also.
External shutters are what would do the job. All the energy is then absorbed externally and radiated into the air, rather than reflected or captured inside the house etc.
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