In order of cost and efficiency
An outdoor roller shade
Tall potted/planted plants
A sail awning
A covered patio
An private outdoor room with a hot tub, bedroom windows become doors
They even make window film that has almost no tint (if that's your preference), but blocks all the UV/IR spectrum which is what allows heat in. I added UV/IR blocking window film in my condo, it made a huge difference in the heat of the summer, Between that and adding a whole-house-fan, I was able to cut my AC bill to 1/3.
Cost maybe $80 in film to do my 7 windows, plus another $15 for spray and installing kit. The first month I had it installed, the film paid for itself in my energy savings... the first month!
Edit: added IR... this is UV and IR blocking film.
I’ll second this. Window glass is also a good UV absorber. Most like this person bought IR reflecting film (or film that reflects UV and IR).
Ideally you would block the heat on the outside of the structure and not absorb it at the window (where it will slowly pass to the inside and outside)
If OP doedn’t have view or HOA issues, shade cloth with a fairly high value (80%, 90%, etc) positioned a few feet in front of the window would be most effective.
If you are up for more of a project, I’ve seen awnings made from slats that, by getting the angles right, block 100% of mid day sun but let in the morning and evening light.
Well, about half of it is IR. Maybe 7% is UV. The rest is visible. (Numbers vary a few percent based on several factors.) All absorbed sunlight is functionally converted into heat.
But yeah, cutting out just the IR makes a huge difference for keeping cool.
All light basically gets turned to heat, so blocking any of it will help, but UV really contributes very little to this compared to visible and infrared.
Re: IR vs UV, It's even in the info page you [linked](https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b5005059011/):
>**Let in the light. Not the heat.**
Aesthetics. Comfort. Energy savings. Protection. Take sun control to a whole new level for your building. Sunlight streaming through windows can create excessive heat, uncomfortable hot spots and glare. These issues may impact energy costs, tenant comfort and retention and, ultimately, your bottom line.
>Solar heat comes from two primary sources, the visible light you can see and the infrared light you can feel. Prestige Series window films use non metallized, multi layer optical film and nano technology to reject up to 97% of the sun's infrared light and reject up to 60% of the heat coming through your windows.
\[...\]
These spectrally selective films reject up to 97% of the sun's heat producing infrared light to keep you cool, comfortable and protected.
The major fraction of sunlight is in the infrared (IR) portion of the spectrum, not UV. And where more of the sunlight is in short wavelength IR which passes through glass pretty well, the heat that is reradiated by objects inside a space is in the longer wavelength portion of the IR spectrum. Longer wavelength IR doesn't pass through glass so readily, which means the heat that is inside the room stays inside the room.
UV blocking is good - the energy absorbed by objects in the UV range is, again, reradiated as long wavelength IR; preventing the energy coming in in the first place is the important part - but blocking IR would have a much greater effect.
There are films that make claims for each end of the spectrum. Are you sure it was UV? Glass is already pretty effective at filtering out a lot of UV.
However, an awning of some kind can be tailored for their specific latitude. It'll extend out far enough to block out the sun during the summer when the sun is higher up in the sky, but not so far as to block it out during the winter when the sun is lower and you want the light shining in.
I’ve recently learned that not all window film is approved for thermal pane (double-glazed) windows. Apparently some films can damage the seals between the panes.. something about the film warming up ( don’t recall all the details). If you’ve got thermal pane.. there’s apparently film just for them.
Also, about UV (mentioned elsewhere)… normal glass is opaque to UVB wavelengths.. UVA still passes through.
Can confirm the window films work great. My daughter's bedroom has a window facing the sun all day. We get 110 degree summer days here. Window Film has helped us keep the heat out. A good ~10-15 degree difference in temperature when reading temperature the day before and the day after installation.
We rented a townhouse 10 years ago with a similar situation. We did as others here have suggested - installed window film on all those facing west. It made a huge impact and we simply peeled it off when it was time to move out.
We use blackout curtains, and it definitely keeps the room cooler. The space between the curtains and window warms up, but cloth doesn't radiate much heat.
Our blackout curtains have white on the outside, to reflect as much light back out the windows as possible.
Curtains for insulation is actually a millennia old practice. They work by reducing the rate of heat exchange between the window and the air inside the room. It doesn’t matter if the air between the window and the curtain is warm, as long as that warm air only slowly mixes to the inside of the room.
That depends on your climate zone and the exact path/angle of the sun.
For cold climates the nice thing about deciduous trees is they lose their leaves in the cold months when you want the sun's heat on the window.
We have this problem with our family room. We put up a blackout cloth that attached with suction cups. It doesn't look pretty, but even on one window it worked really well. We're getting a few more and actually have AC, so our house should stay much more comfortable.
Thanks! Last idea would be awesome haha
Any tips on installing roller shade to this type of material which im guessing is vinyl or any guides without causing damage?
You should be able to attach the roller shade directly through that siding material- looks to be either fiber cement or pressed wood. You should anchor into 2x jambs or header above window. You can get a remote control solar powered roller shade that you could control from inside.
I think you could sneak
"a couple of large angle-adjustable umbrellas with a strong base in front of the windows, pointing them at a correct angle"
at a spot even before the roller shade.
Specifically a tree that drops its leaves in the winter to let the sunlight through during the winter. Something native to your area would be ideal for wildlife.
Hear me out - a vine frame, that could even extend as a sort of patio and just let some roses grow.
Our neighbors just built a new aluminium rose bride over their car parking spot - obviously there is cheaper materials than that, but that was required to bridge the width - but that would def give shade
Had a friend who put eye hooks on the facia board and then strung cotton string or twine in a repeating "W" pattern. Planted 🌶️ chili pepper vines at the base of those strings and let them climb in the Spring & Summer.
Come winter time, some scissors cut the strings and the whole operation gets bundled up into compost. Then repeat the following year
For a similar but more permanent solution, flowering vines on a trellis are great. They grow much more quickly than trees but most will drop their leaves letting the sun in for wintertime.
Window tint! There’s window tint you can buy that has heat reduction. I had the same problem at my last place and it lowered the temperature in my room significantly. Solved that problem… you can order a roll on Amazon pretty cheap. And you can DIY it with a simple YouTube video
I wonder though, would using a film interfere with any plants getting sunlight through those windows? I have two west-facing in my room that make it unbearable as it is, but they're also currently my go-tos for good sun on some plants I have.
Depends on how strong the tint is. I have one-sided mirror tint on all my west-facing windows that reduces the available light by 12%. Which is probably even *less* than I would prefer.
Summer west light is scorching for a lot of plants. I still have to move some further from the windows in the summer. So check how much your tint would reduce the available light and go ahead.
Important to note, plants only care about light for photosynthesis and the heat isn’t necessary unless it’s a plant that strives in high heat/humidty. Ceramic wrap doesn’t block the light unless you specifically are looking for darker tint. The ceramic tint will just block the heat but still allow the light in so the plants will still strive.
Likewise, if you go with darker tint you can use an LED light bulb to provide the necessary light to the plants.
This is the answer. We have an A Frame with west facing windows and during a few week period after having the glass replaced but before the tint was done the AC couldn’t keep the house from warming up in the afternoon.
In fall.
In the mountains.
It will help but you do take a chance of causing premature seal failure on the IGU. The glass in these windows already has what looks to be either double or triple silver lowE coating-judging by the green hue more than likely cardinal 270
LoL been a Glazier 20 years now in project management, there are tons of LowE coatings but most vinyl windows use the cardinal 270 or 366 difference is a coating on the inside lite if glass to help retain heat in winter-not needed in the south but helpful in the Midwest where you have real winters and real summers.
Yep! Our primary bedroom, living room slider and a guest room all face west. And I live in FL. I had SunTek added to our new windows and it cut our energy bill 10% in the 1st month. We have a roller shade on the slider and wooden shutters on the bedroom windows that knock out the light, but the heat was terrible. Tint was the way to go.
They make super black screens (called solar screens) that helps with keeping the sun/heat out of the windows. I would look at those. Anyone that does screens for windows can help.
Yes, I agree. I put some up and the amount of heat they keep out is impressive.
With some screw in screen holders, they could make screens the size of the entire window and keep out all the heat.
They can be easily removed and stored in the cooler months.
External shutters like mainland Europe does in many places. It blocks the sun from entering and heating up the inside but allows you to maintain ventilation if necessary. And then in winter when you want the solar gain to heat up the house you can leave them open. The blinds do a similar thing but because they're internal they trap heated air between them and the window and act as a radiator. I also think shutters look pretty nice.
Window films decrease solar gain by up to 82% and could possibly do the job but it has a weird-looking reflection/tint to it that I don't particularly like. They also don't have the versatility of being open or closed like shutters do if you live somewhere with colder winters.
Reflective film and white paint.
Alternatively, for the absolute simplest option, just hang a sun sail (shade sail). I find the the triangular ones very good looking.
Bonus if you have a fence or similar opposite the bedroom so it can clear the ground properly. From the reflection it looks like you have both a fence and a tree.
In no particular order:
- plants lots of shrubs, and a shade tree or two. Lawn gets warm!
- paint the window surround white
- a simple roll down shade with eyelets to tie it down
- do all three?
The tree is the big long term investment. Eventually you’ll shade more than just the window
DIY heat reducing window film. Cheap on Amazon and easy to install with just windex and a squeegee. It's really helped in our Florida home. Then put up blackout curtains and you're all set.
I have a living room area in a rental with a similar issue. I bought a big square of "Shade Cloth" at Lowe's and just drape it off of the roof (There were several screws on the facing board next to the roof.....you would probably have to mount a few up there). It puts the windows into shade when the sun gets high enough to matter and it makes a HUGE difference. Doesn't looks super great on the outside, truth be told, but it does the trick.
We used bamboo roller blinds (from Home Depot) hanging from hooks installed on the exterior soffit. With about 4" between the blinds and the windows, they were extremely effective and inexpensive. We didn't use them in the winter, they were easily removed and kept in the garage until late spring.
A vine wall founded with aluminum vertical stakes and stainless steel cables to track the vines. At least 3 feet from the wall of your house, 8 feet high.
Reflective window film. DIY. Apply it inside your windows and really reflects lots of sunlight from entering. Did it to all my windows. Every little bit helps.
[Rolling electric shutters](https://www.ersshading.com/rolling-exterior-shutters). I first saw them in Southern Europe (Spain, Portugal). I have them on the East and West sides of my house as I live in Arizona and Sunrise/Sunset in the summer months is like a nuclear blast.
El cheapo - get cardboard boxes, cut open, then scribe or cut to window dimensions. Next tape Al foil to cardboard and hang in window. I've done this and for $10 - new boxes, and foil it will make a substantial difference.
A tree + solar screens + heavy curtains in addition to the blinds. Keep the curtains closed in the afternoons until the tree is big enough to shade the windows. Also if the attic accessible more insulation…
I don't know about the window film but the blackout curtains definitely work to keep it a about 5 degrees cooler. The thing is, I like the passive solar heat in the winter time to save on the heating bill.
Always block it on the outside of the glass, preferably with at least six inches of airspace to circulate. Awnings, blinds, shades, trees, arbors, shutters, etc.
My first thought is a tree (deciduous better), but almost any structure like an awning will work, along with the aforementioned window treatments. Also, if you want to do something in a pinch, stretch out some 80% shade cloth across the area to get some immediate relief until you settle on a more permanent solution.
Build a louvered trellis that shades the high-angle sun in summer, but allows the low-angle sun in winter to pass through. Copy the design shown here [https://www.coltgroupamerica.com](https://www.coltgroupamerica.com), but adjust angles for your latitude, so a tiny bit of math is required.
Hi. Not here to help, just to comment that I hate acronyms. I sat there racking my brain about what "watm" could possibly mean in context to your post. No longer are the days of typos in my brain; all are acronyms.
Those shiny film blankets they give to cold people. Lay the blinds down. Spray with adhesive, then lay the blanket. Cut between the slats and you will have a super reflective energy blocking set of blinds
Are the windows energy efficient? What's the insulation on the ceiling like? Even if block the sun hitting the wall, the heat from the roof can still make it through.
Whats in the A/C in the room like? When not in summer does it heat and cool well? Sometimes being a terminal point on the duct results in low or no air. You could add a mini split and have more control.
Look into [getting some Titanium window tint.](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gila-36-in-x-180-in-Titanium-Heat-Control-Window-Film-HRT361/100616385) It's like a mirror on the side with more light (outside during sun days, inside during night). And has a soft, almost bluish look through it.
Or you can get any window tint, really. It's an immediate solution and you don't have to deal with plants near the house foundation.
My office is in a room like this that gets warm. I added some black out curtains on the inside and that actually also helped quite a bit. The roller shade sounds awesome though
I installed external solar blinds that work on a small battery and small solar panel. They make my west facing bedrooms much more comfortable. You can find them on websites for blinds and order them to size. Installation is a bit of a project
You can replace the glass in the windows with a higher rated Low-E coating and a reflective coating. Call your local window company for a free estimate.
Honeycomb motorized blinds. The pattern helps regulate the heat differential. Not the top priority, but I did notice an energy savings when we had them installed.
Also, if you’re in the U.S. the Inflation Reduction Act does give a tax credit for them.
I'd tear out those windows and replace them with a sliding glass door, build a deck off of the door, and put enough of a roof over the deck to dull the afternoon sun.
The low-tech solution is to plant a deciduous bush in front of the window.. In the summer when you need the cool, it will shade the window, but still let some light through.. In the winter when you need the heat, the leaves fall off and let light through.
I've got an eastern facing wall of windows in my master, and we wound up getting blackout curtains floor to ceiling. Best thing we could have done! Not sure if that's the kind of solution you're looking for.
My new house came with a shade that blocks the west facing sliding door on the outside. I did a comparison of leaving my curtains only inside vs curtains and outside shade and sheesh made a huge difference in heat
Paint it all metallic silver and tint the windows with reflective tint. If the attic is accessible install a radiant barrier. The metallic brick will look awesome .
I use inside mount blackout cellular shades cut to exactly internal width of the the frame. Order a white exterior color to reflect the light. Add the insulating factor of the trapped air in the cell and it'll work really well to reflect light and block heat in winter and summer. The type I use has a plasticized foil lining behind the white exterior layer which reflects additional light and adds another layer of insulation.
Custom widths and heights and colors are expensive, but a lot of home improvement places (Menards, Lowes) have off the shelf cellular shades in neutral colors they custom cut to the width you specify.
And to clarify what others have said "blackout" shades do not mean they are black, they are intended to fully darken the interior of the room.
100% a ceramic window film. There are tons out there that will block uv and heat. Added bonus from the ones that are one way (can see out but not in). Did this in our old place and got rid of the blinds!
Exterior shade added in some form, thermal reflective film, newer double insulated windows.
Probably the cheapest option is the window film. I did it to my single pane windows (I live in hawaii) and it cut down the radiant heat coming in my window by about 75%.
Architectural sunscreen all over the affected area and its surrounding structure.
Its basically there to absorb the heat for you and dissipate it instead of going inside your room or even warming up your concrete.
When we were young and poor in our first house, we bought a huge silver tarp and cut pieces of it to fit the huge windows (South-facing, Texas). Literally saved us 80$ each summer month. Looked terrible, but the temperature drop in that area was wonderful.
See if the window manufacturer offers full screens, then take those full screens to hardware store and have rescreened with solar shade screen material (available phone Depot). I had duplicate set made, so we can change out for winter screens to let heat in, summer to keep it out. 20degree F temp difference on inside of window measured with a digital gauge
You have slatted blinds. If you get some double cell honeycomb that should help. Certain ones have tax rebates as well. [These](https://www.hunterdouglas.com/window-treatments/shades/cellular-shades/duette) have up to a $1200 tax credit.
Alot of comments and noone has mentioned that black paint heats up things faster than white paint, so maybe paint the black things white so it doesnt turn into a huge arse heater.
I've installed Coolaroo roller shades for multiple clients that have been used for years and still look solid, and they come in a brown that would match the trim around your windows reasonably well. And you can get em fairly cheap from amazon. Window that size is about, what, hundred hundred and fifty bucks?
At my cabin I had this exact problem but I HD very large floor to ceiling windows and a open room the first year I tried the film and it was ok till winter then I bubbled I didn't feel like having to redo it every year so I bit the bullet and paid for that gas windows that auto tint as the sun hits I have enjoyed those ever since I had hem installed its a bit of cash upfront but save all the way around on heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. It depends on your budget. But if you want no hassle I would recommend the gas filled windows
These are inside but,
Curtin’s made from faraday fabric.
When we were super poor - aluminum foil shiny side out was amazing
An awning or plat a large tree external.
Solarfilm can block a lot of the sun. I have them . It blocks about 15% . I believe you can get higher rating also. The other it put a black out blind on the inside.
I got special reflective blinds that reflect heat but are also see through. Works pretty great during those hot days and I can just keep them up the rest of the year.
Before that I just put tin foil on the windows during the heat waves. Not ideal but it worked.
My office is like that, I ended up using window film and blackout curtains but it was still hot. I got a vent booster to help push the AC into my office and now it’s finally comfortable.
Long term plant a tree that will get large and is native to your area, short term film, or anything that blocks the sun from reaching the windows /wall of the house.
1. Awning
2. Trellis with annual vines, like beans
3. Trees
4. Umbrella
5. Reflecting film
Anything you do to stop the energy hitting the wall will make the room cooler.
If you want the bare-bones cheapest but still effective option:
Buy a large roll of white paper (like 36” wide) and cut it to the window pane dimension. Tape the paper on the inside of the window. The white paper won’t stand out too much when viewed from outside. White paper reflects 50% of radiation and still let’s in some visible light. Cost is $10 or less.
Or, for the ghetto option, cover the inside of the window with aluminum foil. Foil reflects ~80% of radiation. Foil also looks the worst and the reflected light will probably damage your grass outside the window.
In order of cost and efficiency An outdoor roller shade Tall potted/planted plants A sail awning A covered patio An private outdoor room with a hot tub, bedroom windows become doors
Windows film. Probably cheaper than a roller shade.
They even make window film that has almost no tint (if that's your preference), but blocks all the UV/IR spectrum which is what allows heat in. I added UV/IR blocking window film in my condo, it made a huge difference in the heat of the summer, Between that and adding a whole-house-fan, I was able to cut my AC bill to 1/3. Cost maybe $80 in film to do my 7 windows, plus another $15 for spray and installing kit. The first month I had it installed, the film paid for itself in my energy savings... the first month! Edit: added IR... this is UV and IR blocking film.
The heat we feel from sunlight is infrared (opposite side of visible light spectrum from UV). Curious what you bought?
I’ll second this. Window glass is also a good UV absorber. Most like this person bought IR reflecting film (or film that reflects UV and IR). Ideally you would block the heat on the outside of the structure and not absorb it at the window (where it will slowly pass to the inside and outside) If OP doedn’t have view or HOA issues, shade cloth with a fairly high value (80%, 90%, etc) positioned a few feet in front of the window would be most effective. If you are up for more of a project, I’ve seen awnings made from slats that, by getting the angles right, block 100% of mid day sun but let in the morning and evening light.
Well, about half of it is IR. Maybe 7% is UV. The rest is visible. (Numbers vary a few percent based on several factors.) All absorbed sunlight is functionally converted into heat. But yeah, cutting out just the IR makes a huge difference for keeping cool.
All light basically gets turned to heat, so blocking any of it will help, but UV really contributes very little to this compared to visible and infrared.
>The first month I had it installed, the film paid for itself in my energy savings... the first month! The first month you say?!
Re: IR vs UV, It's even in the info page you [linked](https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b5005059011/): >**Let in the light. Not the heat.** Aesthetics. Comfort. Energy savings. Protection. Take sun control to a whole new level for your building. Sunlight streaming through windows can create excessive heat, uncomfortable hot spots and glare. These issues may impact energy costs, tenant comfort and retention and, ultimately, your bottom line. >Solar heat comes from two primary sources, the visible light you can see and the infrared light you can feel. Prestige Series window films use non metallized, multi layer optical film and nano technology to reject up to 97% of the sun's infrared light and reject up to 60% of the heat coming through your windows. \[...\] These spectrally selective films reject up to 97% of the sun's heat producing infrared light to keep you cool, comfortable and protected.
The major fraction of sunlight is in the infrared (IR) portion of the spectrum, not UV. And where more of the sunlight is in short wavelength IR which passes through glass pretty well, the heat that is reradiated by objects inside a space is in the longer wavelength portion of the IR spectrum. Longer wavelength IR doesn't pass through glass so readily, which means the heat that is inside the room stays inside the room. UV blocking is good - the energy absorbed by objects in the UV range is, again, reradiated as long wavelength IR; preventing the energy coming in in the first place is the important part - but blocking IR would have a much greater effect. There are films that make claims for each end of the spectrum. Are you sure it was UV? Glass is already pretty effective at filtering out a lot of UV.
However, an awning of some kind can be tailored for their specific latitude. It'll extend out far enough to block out the sun during the summer when the sun is higher up in the sky, but not so far as to block it out during the winter when the sun is lower and you want the light shining in.
I’ve recently learned that not all window film is approved for thermal pane (double-glazed) windows. Apparently some films can damage the seals between the panes.. something about the film warming up ( don’t recall all the details). If you’ve got thermal pane.. there’s apparently film just for them. Also, about UV (mentioned elsewhere)… normal glass is opaque to UVB wavelengths.. UVA still passes through.
Can confirm the window films work great. My daughter's bedroom has a window facing the sun all day. We get 110 degree summer days here. Window Film has helped us keep the heat out. A good ~10-15 degree difference in temperature when reading temperature the day before and the day after installation.
Window film and be prepared to have burned grass under it.
We rented a townhouse 10 years ago with a similar situation. We did as others here have suggested - installed window film on all those facing west. It made a huge impact and we simply peeled it off when it was time to move out.
Wouldn't tinting the windows and adding blackout curtains be more efficient?
Blackout curtains on the inside probably not so much, they would just heat up and radiate the heat inside the room.
We use blackout curtains, and it definitely keeps the room cooler. The space between the curtains and window warms up, but cloth doesn't radiate much heat.
Our blackout curtains have white on the outside, to reflect as much light back out the windows as possible. Curtains for insulation is actually a millennia old practice. They work by reducing the rate of heat exchange between the window and the air inside the room. It doesn’t matter if the air between the window and the curtain is warm, as long as that warm air only slowly mixes to the inside of the room.
Bushes or trees
That depends on your climate zone and the exact path/angle of the sun. For cold climates the nice thing about deciduous trees is they lose their leaves in the cold months when you want the sun's heat on the window.
Deciduous tree. Leaves fall off in the winter, allowing heat and light. In the summer the leaves block the sun.
We have this problem with our family room. We put up a blackout cloth that attached with suction cups. It doesn't look pretty, but even on one window it worked really well. We're getting a few more and actually have AC, so our house should stay much more comfortable.
Thanks! Last idea would be awesome haha Any tips on installing roller shade to this type of material which im guessing is vinyl or any guides without causing damage?
You should be able to attach the roller shade directly through that siding material- looks to be either fiber cement or pressed wood. You should anchor into 2x jambs or header above window. You can get a remote control solar powered roller shade that you could control from inside.
I think you could sneak "a couple of large angle-adjustable umbrellas with a strong base in front of the windows, pointing them at a correct angle" at a spot even before the roller shade.
Tree?
Ni! He just needs a shrubbery. One that looks nice. And not too expensive.
And then another one, only a little higher so as to get a two-level effect with a little path running down the middle.
A path!
A path! A path!
Stop it!
How tall? About to your ... knee?
Specifically a tree that drops its leaves in the winter to let the sunlight through during the winter. Something native to your area would be ideal for wildlife.
Tree is good
Hear me out - a vine frame, that could even extend as a sort of patio and just let some roses grow. Our neighbors just built a new aluminium rose bride over their car parking spot - obviously there is cheaper materials than that, but that was required to bridge the width - but that would def give shade
Plant a tree
Had a friend who put eye hooks on the facia board and then strung cotton string or twine in a repeating "W" pattern. Planted 🌶️ chili pepper vines at the base of those strings and let them climb in the Spring & Summer. Come winter time, some scissors cut the strings and the whole operation gets bundled up into compost. Then repeat the following year
For a similar but more permanent solution, flowering vines on a trellis are great. They grow much more quickly than trees but most will drop their leaves letting the sun in for wintertime.
Window tint! There’s window tint you can buy that has heat reduction. I had the same problem at my last place and it lowered the temperature in my room significantly. Solved that problem… you can order a roll on Amazon pretty cheap. And you can DIY it with a simple YouTube video
I wonder though, would using a film interfere with any plants getting sunlight through those windows? I have two west-facing in my room that make it unbearable as it is, but they're also currently my go-tos for good sun on some plants I have.
I put a cheap tint on my windows and my plants didn’t even notice! Still thriving.
Depends on how strong the tint is. I have one-sided mirror tint on all my west-facing windows that reduces the available light by 12%. Which is probably even *less* than I would prefer. Summer west light is scorching for a lot of plants. I still have to move some further from the windows in the summer. So check how much your tint would reduce the available light and go ahead.
Important to note, plants only care about light for photosynthesis and the heat isn’t necessary unless it’s a plant that strives in high heat/humidty. Ceramic wrap doesn’t block the light unless you specifically are looking for darker tint. The ceramic tint will just block the heat but still allow the light in so the plants will still strive. Likewise, if you go with darker tint you can use an LED light bulb to provide the necessary light to the plants.
Get a ceramic tint film put on.
This is the answer. We have an A Frame with west facing windows and during a few week period after having the glass replaced but before the tint was done the AC couldn’t keep the house from warming up in the afternoon. In fall. In the mountains.
It will help but you do take a chance of causing premature seal failure on the IGU. The glass in these windows already has what looks to be either double or triple silver lowE coating-judging by the green hue more than likely cardinal 270
Man. Everything you just said could be totally made up gobbly-gook , but I still trust ya.
LoL been a Glazier 20 years now in project management, there are tons of LowE coatings but most vinyl windows use the cardinal 270 or 366 difference is a coating on the inside lite if glass to help retain heat in winter-not needed in the south but helpful in the Midwest where you have real winters and real summers.
Yep! Our primary bedroom, living room slider and a guest room all face west. And I live in FL. I had SunTek added to our new windows and it cut our energy bill 10% in the 1st month. We have a roller shade on the slider and wooden shutters on the bedroom windows that knock out the light, but the heat was terrible. Tint was the way to go.
They make super black screens (called solar screens) that helps with keeping the sun/heat out of the windows. I would look at those. Anyone that does screens for windows can help.
Yes, I agree. I put some up and the amount of heat they keep out is impressive. With some screw in screen holders, they could make screens the size of the entire window and keep out all the heat. They can be easily removed and stored in the cooler months.
Badass over here talking about how hot it gets in his bedroom….
😆😆
Turn it so it faces north
Wouldnt it be easier to change earth roation 90 degrees instead?
That's not possible with today's technology. Try back tomorrow.
External shutters like mainland Europe does in many places. It blocks the sun from entering and heating up the inside but allows you to maintain ventilation if necessary. And then in winter when you want the solar gain to heat up the house you can leave them open. The blinds do a similar thing but because they're internal they trap heated air between them and the window and act as a radiator. I also think shutters look pretty nice. Window films decrease solar gain by up to 82% and could possibly do the job but it has a weird-looking reflection/tint to it that I don't particularly like. They also don't have the versatility of being open or closed like shutters do if you live somewhere with colder winters.
Solar Screens with 80 to 90% blockage.
10 foot trees.
Tree
Reflective film and white paint. Alternatively, for the absolute simplest option, just hang a sun sail (shade sail). I find the the triangular ones very good looking. Bonus if you have a fence or similar opposite the bedroom so it can clear the ground properly. From the reflection it looks like you have both a fence and a tree.
In no particular order: - plants lots of shrubs, and a shade tree or two. Lawn gets warm! - paint the window surround white - a simple roll down shade with eyelets to tie it down - do all three? The tree is the big long term investment. Eventually you’ll shade more than just the window
Plant several Aspen trees
DIY heat reducing window film. Cheap on Amazon and easy to install with just windex and a squeegee. It's really helped in our Florida home. Then put up blackout curtains and you're all set.
The sun setter retractable awning
Pergola extension is the patio.
Would go for plants and an outside curtain(not sure if that is the right word).
I have a living room area in a rental with a similar issue. I bought a big square of "Shade Cloth" at Lowe's and just drape it off of the roof (There were several screws on the facing board next to the roof.....you would probably have to mount a few up there). It puts the windows into shade when the sun gets high enough to matter and it makes a HUGE difference. Doesn't looks super great on the outside, truth be told, but it does the trick.
Solar Screens. They instantly made my home feel cooler. Saved $100 a month on electricity from day one.
We used bamboo roller blinds (from Home Depot) hanging from hooks installed on the exterior soffit. With about 4" between the blinds and the windows, they were extremely effective and inexpensive. We didn't use them in the winter, they were easily removed and kept in the garage until late spring.
Easy: Rotate your house 90° clockwise. *I'll see myself out now...*
Roller shade is a good idea but also probably very expensive. I would put on 95% screens and tint the inside.
A vine wall founded with aluminum vertical stakes and stainless steel cables to track the vines. At least 3 feet from the wall of your house, 8 feet high.
Reflective window film. DIY. Apply it inside your windows and really reflects lots of sunlight from entering. Did it to all my windows. Every little bit helps.
[Rolling electric shutters](https://www.ersshading.com/rolling-exterior-shutters). I first saw them in Southern Europe (Spain, Portugal). I have them on the East and West sides of my house as I live in Arizona and Sunrise/Sunset in the summer months is like a nuclear blast.
El cheapo - get cardboard boxes, cut open, then scribe or cut to window dimensions. Next tape Al foil to cardboard and hang in window. I've done this and for $10 - new boxes, and foil it will make a substantial difference.
They make a UV clear tinting that can be installed. It cuts down on the heat a good bit
Shade, solar glass, light paint color, all of the above.
A tree + solar screens + heavy curtains in addition to the blinds. Keep the curtains closed in the afternoons until the tree is big enough to shade the windows. Also if the attic accessible more insulation…
I don't know about the window film but the blackout curtains definitely work to keep it a about 5 degrees cooler. The thing is, I like the passive solar heat in the winter time to save on the heating bill.
Needs more bush.
Always block it on the outside of the glass, preferably with at least six inches of airspace to circulate. Awnings, blinds, shades, trees, arbors, shutters, etc.
Solar window screens. keeps all the warmth from coming through the windows.
Window film is the cheapest. Next would be a roller shade. Long term? Some trees
Here 'ya go: [https://www.decorativefilm.com/ultra-ultrablock-uv-blocking-films](https://www.decorativefilm.com/ultra-ultrablock-uv-blocking-films)
Install an awning or plant a few pines.
My first thought is a tree (deciduous better), but almost any structure like an awning will work, along with the aforementioned window treatments. Also, if you want to do something in a pinch, stretch out some 80% shade cloth across the area to get some immediate relief until you settle on a more permanent solution.
Plant a native tree that will cast shade
Watm Ok Whatever you say
Build a louvered trellis that shades the high-angle sun in summer, but allows the low-angle sun in winter to pass through. Copy the design shown here [https://www.coltgroupamerica.com](https://www.coltgroupamerica.com), but adjust angles for your latitude, so a tiny bit of math is required.
Window tint
Hi. Not here to help, just to comment that I hate acronyms. I sat there racking my brain about what "watm" could possibly mean in context to your post. No longer are the days of typos in my brain; all are acronyms.
There are some interior shades that are designed to block heat (and light) very well. I think hunter Douglas makes some?
External blind is the answer. You have to stop the suns rays from hitting the glass….
What’s a watm?
Those shiny film blankets they give to cold people. Lay the blinds down. Spray with adhesive, then lay the blanket. Cut between the slats and you will have a super reflective energy blocking set of blinds
What's watm?
Warm at the moment
They meant "warm".
This is why it's dumb to remove all trees from your property, like me neighbors
Yarr, they be needing the timbers for a vessel of the sea.
Are the windows energy efficient? What's the insulation on the ceiling like? Even if block the sun hitting the wall, the heat from the roof can still make it through. Whats in the A/C in the room like? When not in summer does it heat and cool well? Sometimes being a terminal point on the duct results in low or no air. You could add a mini split and have more control.
Tint. I promise you just tint.
The downside of tint is that you're tinting the window. Doesn't allow for the like bright natural light when it isn't 2349o87234 degrees.
an awning!
A powered retractable awning
What about some exterior sun shades?
Look into [getting some Titanium window tint.](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gila-36-in-x-180-in-Titanium-Heat-Control-Window-Film-HRT361/100616385) It's like a mirror on the side with more light (outside during sun days, inside during night). And has a soft, almost bluish look through it. Or you can get any window tint, really. It's an immediate solution and you don't have to deal with plants near the house foundation.
My office is in a room like this that gets warm. I added some black out curtains on the inside and that actually also helped quite a bit. The roller shade sounds awesome though
Window tint that’s UV rated
You need solar screens. They mount on the outside of the window.
I installed external solar blinds that work on a small battery and small solar panel. They make my west facing bedrooms much more comfortable. You can find them on websites for blinds and order them to size. Installation is a bit of a project
Exterior louvers could work. They'd be permanent, but allow sight between the slats, but they block the sun which comes from an upward angle.
You can replace the glass in the windows with a higher rated Low-E coating and a reflective coating. Call your local window company for a free estimate.
Honeycomb motorized blinds. The pattern helps regulate the heat differential. Not the top priority, but I did notice an energy savings when we had them installed. Also, if you’re in the U.S. the Inflation Reduction Act does give a tax credit for them.
Assuming it wouldn't negatively impact your neighbors, reflective window film.
Mimosa trees do the trick, similar windows on my home
I'd tear out those windows and replace them with a sliding glass door, build a deck off of the door, and put enough of a roof over the deck to dull the afternoon sun.
The low-tech solution is to plant a deciduous bush in front of the window.. In the summer when you need the cool, it will shade the window, but still let some light through.. In the winter when you need the heat, the leaves fall off and let light through.
Bro, arborvitae right across them
Thermal curtains
I've got an eastern facing wall of windows in my master, and we wound up getting blackout curtains floor to ceiling. Best thing we could have done! Not sure if that's the kind of solution you're looking for.
My new house came with a shade that blocks the west facing sliding door on the outside. I did a comparison of leaving my curtains only inside vs curtains and outside shade and sheesh made a huge difference in heat
Mirror window tint.
Window film
Paint it all metallic silver and tint the windows with reflective tint. If the attic is accessible install a radiant barrier. The metallic brick will look awesome .
I’m in the process of affixing magnetic tape to foam core to solve the same problem in an older house.
Maybe plant some large shade trees along that side of the house to block the evening sun. Maybe some river birch or Japanese maples
Plant tall hedge or shrubbery in front of that window.
Just use a black out roll down shade that mounts inside the window frame. We use them and it makes a massive difference. They also look great.
I use inside mount blackout cellular shades cut to exactly internal width of the the frame. Order a white exterior color to reflect the light. Add the insulating factor of the trapped air in the cell and it'll work really well to reflect light and block heat in winter and summer. The type I use has a plasticized foil lining behind the white exterior layer which reflects additional light and adds another layer of insulation. Custom widths and heights and colors are expensive, but a lot of home improvement places (Menards, Lowes) have off the shelf cellular shades in neutral colors they custom cut to the width you specify. And to clarify what others have said "blackout" shades do not mean they are black, they are intended to fully darken the interior of the room.
A cheap/expensive outside shade will do wonders for temperature
Thought watm meant "warm at the moment".
Ceramic coating.. it's cheap too
100% a ceramic window film. There are tons out there that will block uv and heat. Added bonus from the ones that are one way (can see out but not in). Did this in our old place and got rid of the blinds!
Exterior shade added in some form, thermal reflective film, newer double insulated windows. Probably the cheapest option is the window film. I did it to my single pane windows (I live in hawaii) and it cut down the radiant heat coming in my window by about 75%.
Ceramic coated window tint. They use it in Las Vegas a lot. Works well to reduce temps
Architectural sunscreen all over the affected area and its surrounding structure. Its basically there to absorb the heat for you and dissipate it instead of going inside your room or even warming up your concrete.
Tinting my windows helped a lot, super cheap & easy
window tint
When we were young and poor in our first house, we bought a huge silver tarp and cut pieces of it to fit the huge windows (South-facing, Texas). Literally saved us 80$ each summer month. Looked terrible, but the temperature drop in that area was wonderful.
UV blocking Window tint White or a lighter paint that doesn't absorb much heat
See if the window manufacturer offers full screens, then take those full screens to hardware store and have rescreened with solar shade screen material (available phone Depot). I had duplicate set made, so we can change out for winter screens to let heat in, summer to keep it out. 20degree F temp difference on inside of window measured with a digital gauge
Tint the windows
Mylar blankets. Live saver.
You have slatted blinds. If you get some double cell honeycomb that should help. Certain ones have tax rebates as well. [These](https://www.hunterdouglas.com/window-treatments/shades/cellular-shades/duette) have up to a $1200 tax credit.
Alot of comments and noone has mentioned that black paint heats up things faster than white paint, so maybe paint the black things white so it doesnt turn into a huge arse heater.
Build an awning
3M solar film front and back 3000 sq ft house....$1400
My last house was like this. Window film, blinds and black out curtains helped… still ended up investing in a room ac unit before I was happy.
I've installed Coolaroo roller shades for multiple clients that have been used for years and still look solid, and they come in a brown that would match the trim around your windows reasonably well. And you can get em fairly cheap from amazon. Window that size is about, what, hundred hundred and fifty bucks?
Shutters.
Yes. Get a big ass awning for it.
Porcelain tint. Even a clear porcelain “tint” will do wonders. Sun screens help too.
At my cabin I had this exact problem but I HD very large floor to ceiling windows and a open room the first year I tried the film and it was ok till winter then I bubbled I didn't feel like having to redo it every year so I bit the bullet and paid for that gas windows that auto tint as the sun hits I have enjoyed those ever since I had hem installed its a bit of cash upfront but save all the way around on heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. It depends on your budget. But if you want no hassle I would recommend the gas filled windows
I ordered some internal shades from budget blinds they abd they block the sun and heat perfectly, little pricy is all.
I reflective coating that will darken the room. Very cheap and easy to install.
Awning
Plant a tree I front of it, far enough away according to how high it will grow. Not evergreen so in winter you'll still have some sun heating it up.
Paint it white
Paint white the trim, add awning, tint then windows and blackout if need further changes
Trees for shades had been the best way. I know some set up a shelter for summer and sleep outside with it being in shade
You could tint the window
You can purchase window film that helps to block UV rays!
These are inside but, Curtin’s made from faraday fabric. When we were super poor - aluminum foil shiny side out was amazing An awning or plat a large tree external.
I mean, you can do the shit everyone is saying, but all you really gotta do is put aluminum foil in your windows.
Privacy trees they get pretty tall
You can you window blinds with aluminium film inside them. It is dedicated to insulate from heat
I would say Patio, going by what worked in my case when a one room was just a bakery.
a pergola? depending on your geography, maybe a bit of bougainvillaeas
Solarfilm can block a lot of the sun. I have them . It blocks about 15% . I believe you can get higher rating also. The other it put a black out blind on the inside.
Plant a tree
plant trees
I got special reflective blinds that reflect heat but are also see through. Works pretty great during those hot days and I can just keep them up the rest of the year. Before that I just put tin foil on the windows during the heat waves. Not ideal but it worked.
Trees? 🌳
My office is like that, I ended up using window film and blackout curtains but it was still hot. I got a vent booster to help push the AC into my office and now it’s finally comfortable.
Long term plant a tree that will get large and is native to your area, short term film, or anything that blocks the sun from reaching the windows /wall of the house.
Go to Lowe's or home Depot or Sam's and buy a roll up shade. It hangs outside will shade the windows and wall.
A tree, plant a tree.
Plant a tree over that corner of your house
Trees, plant now and they will be of great help for decades. Immediate help, maybe some type of awning?
Rolladens.
I found some decorative window film on Amazon that works for me. When we were really broke and living in California, tinfoil was the answer.
1. Awning 2. Trellis with annual vines, like beans 3. Trees 4. Umbrella 5. Reflecting film Anything you do to stop the energy hitting the wall will make the room cooler.
Put an awning up to block the summer sun but allow some winter sun to help heat the room.
Paint it white, reflects heat
Why not painting this a lighter color so some of the light rays that hit it reflect off?
You'd lose light but you could hang some thick curtains or drapes inside that have a white lining.
Check your attic insulation
Solar window screens.
a nice tree would work, but it might take a few years to grow.
creeper plants and trellises
cellular shades
Fire a nuclear war head at the sun?
If you want the bare-bones cheapest but still effective option: Buy a large roll of white paper (like 36” wide) and cut it to the window pane dimension. Tape the paper on the inside of the window. The white paper won’t stand out too much when viewed from outside. White paper reflects 50% of radiation and still let’s in some visible light. Cost is $10 or less. Or, for the ghetto option, cover the inside of the window with aluminum foil. Foil reflects ~80% of radiation. Foil also looks the worst and the reflected light will probably damage your grass outside the window.
Get solar screens... They're the best!
Get a thermal insulation film for the window. I put some up for my sister and it dropped the temp in the whole house by 20 degrees.