OK, this is what Milt said (with the disclaimer that he is an old house guy):
He said that the window film may help a little bit, but it is not only the windows that are heating things up. The walls absorb - and hold - heat much more than the windows do. But, a filter will block UV rays and protect the furniture/floors from fading. But, a curtain or blind would do that as well.
Ceiling fas/and fans in general, just move air around. They don't cool. But, if you have circulation problems with your AC, fans may be an option to get the cooler air moving.
Keep curtains shut during the day and open the windows at night to cool the upstairs. Heat rises.
He's also not a huge fan of dual-pain windows. He finds that it is abig expense for us here in So Cal. Now, if we lived in MN, by all means get them! We also got to talking about insulation and the theory that a well insulated house takes longer to cool down than a poorly insulated one.
We talked about a lot of stuff that I know nothing about, so my brain was sort of swimming at the end of the conversation (plus he was getting all of my neighbors stopping by and asking questions. Windows are a popular subject when it is super hot outside and you live in a 1920's neighborhood.
