Blocking heat from windows - Page 3

DreadPirateRoberts · 07-27-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Unfortunately there's no ceiling light installed right now, so there's no power in the ceiling. No matter what I'm going to be going down the wall. But there's already a switch there, I'll just be tapping in to the hot line going into the switch, not installing a new switch, which should be easier.

I had a similar issue, but I found an electrical wire going above the bedroom ceiling in the attic that I was able to tap into. I added a junction box.

Ghoulish Delight · 07-27-2009, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadPirateRoberts

I had a similar issue, but I found an electrical wire going above the bedroom ceiling in the attic that I was able to tap into. I added a junction box.

The only power I saw up there when I was replacing the bathroom fan was for the fan itself...and that's on a switch, so that just brings me back down to the switch again. I suppose if getting to the wall switch turns out to be more difficult than anticipated I could get lazy and drill a hole in a discrete corner of the ceiling (there's a built in desk in the corner that would hid it well) and just plug the thing in to a wall socket, but that's pretty sloppy and I'd rather not.

Snowflake · 07-27-2009, 08:10 AM

We put a 3M tinted coating on our windows years back and it made an amazing difference. It was quite economical.

mousepod · 07-27-2009, 08:20 AM

I've been following this thread with heightened interest, because we turned our new central air unit on for the first time last week, and even at full blast running for 24 hours straight, the best it did was make the house "not hot". We wound up shutting it off, because the crosswinds at night make the place so comfortable, we didn't think it was necessary for the few hours during the day when the sun is at its worst.

What we decided, and this thread seems to be bearing out, is that we need UV protection.

This Friday, 6 new Pella windows will be delivered to the house. We were planning on a retrofit, but because the frames are so old and partially rotted, we went for "nail-in", which will increase the installation cost.

We're getting three double casements, two single casements, and one single but large casement. The grand total before installation is around $3500. We estimate that the final all-in cost including installation will be about double that.

These 6 windows are less than a quarter of the windows in the house, so on our budget, this job will take a few years. Should the heat this summer be too much to take, I'm going to seriously consider some of the options that have been suggested here for the remaining windows.

DreadPirateRoberts · 07-27-2009, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousepod

I've been following this thread with heightened interest, because we turned our new central air unit on for the first time last week, and even at full blast running for 24 hours straight, the best it did was make the house "not hot".

Was the a/c blowing cold? It sounds like something is wrong, either the a/c isn't working properly, or the unit is undersized. It shouldn't take that long to bring the temp down.

katiesue · 07-27-2009, 08:43 AM

I'm airless right now since the breaker blew and melted the pannel. My celing fans have helped immensley. Only issue I have with the remotes is make sure to program them on different frequencys - I have to stand in certain places in the bedroom to turn the light on/off or it turns on/off the light in the living room as well. This may not be an issue if you're on different floors.

I also have some sort of window shades. They came with the house so I don't know much about them. They're like a paper blind, but heavier, and they do a really good job at keeping the heat out.

Not Afraid · 07-27-2009, 09:16 AM

I'm in the process (well, Milt is) of repairing our disintegrating French Doors in our bedroom. Milt works on vintage houses and will be injecting a resin into the doors to repair the wood rot, stripping the paint, getting the windows that are in the doors to open and generally making the doors as "new". They will still have to be painted and not varnished.

The next thing he is going to do is to put in restored double hung windows to replace the 50's slat windows in the bedroom. Then I can have air conditioning in the bedroom!

Our Living Room is still hot in the afternoons, but with the windows open, it's not bad at all. I'm looking into the film to put over the big arched LR window as a heat-reflecting option - IF it won't look strange or ruin the look of the house.

Snowflake · 07-27-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

Our Living Room is still hot in the afternoons, but with the windows open, it's not bad at all. I'm looking into the film to put over the big arched LR window as a heat-reflecting option - IF it won't look strange or ruin the look of the house.

NA, there are varying shades of tint. Looking at the windows in our apartment you would never know they have a tint. The only thing about the tinted sheets is when cleaning windows you have to be a tad careful, but in the 15+ years we've had them on, the window washer has never torn or scraped them.

Not Afraid · 07-27-2009, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowflake

NA, there are varying shades of tint. Looking at the windows in our apartment you would never know they have a tint. The only thing about the tinted sheets is when cleaning windows you have to be a tad careful, but in the 15+ years we've had them on, the window washer has never torn or scraped them.

So, how easy was the installation? I'm looking at the big arched window in the LR and the product would have to be cut during installation. There's not way I could reproduce the exact size of that window.

Pirate Bill · 07-27-2009, 10:24 AM

This thread has inspired me to put some film on our upstairs windows. We have double-pain vinyl windows, but there isn't a UV block and I think that's what's causing the heat build-up upstairs. We have great attic insulation, but when the sun hits those windows it gets hot.

I'll report the results when it's done.

07-27-2009, 08:10 AM	#3
Snowflake lost in the fog Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 7,831	We put a 3M tinted coating on our windows years back and it made an amazing difference. It was quite economical.
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07-27-2009, 08:20 AM	#4
mousepod You broke your Ramadar! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,635	I've been following this thread with heightened interest, because we turned our new central air unit on for the first time last week, and even at full blast running for 24 hours straight, the best it did was make the house "not hot". We wound up shutting it off, because the crosswinds at night make the place so comfortable, we didn't think it was necessary for the few hours during the day when the sun is at its worst. What we decided, and this thread seems to be bearing out, is that we need UV protection. This Friday, 6 new Pella windows will be delivered to the house. We were planning on a retrofit, but because the frames are so old and partially rotted, we went for "nail-in", which will increase the installation cost. We're getting three double casements, two single casements, and one single but large casement. The grand total before installation is around $3500. We estimate that the final all-in cost including installation will be about double that. These 6 windows are less than a quarter of the windows in the house, so on our budget, this job will take a few years. Should the heat this summer be too much to take, I'm going to seriously consider some of the options that have been suggested here for the remaining windows. __________________ "Give the public everything you can give them, keep the place as clean as you can keep it, keep it friendly" - Walt Disney
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07-27-2009, 08:43 AM	#6
katiesue Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 4,678	I'm airless right now since the breaker blew and melted the pannel. My celing fans have helped immensley. Only issue I have with the remotes is make sure to program them on different frequencys - I have to stand in certain places in the bedroom to turn the light on/off or it turns on/off the light in the living room as well. This may not be an issue if you're on different floors. I also have some sort of window shades. They came with the house so I don't know much about them. They're like a paper blind, but heavier, and they do a really good job at keeping the heat out. __________________ My life is so exciting I can hardly stand it.
	Submit to Quotes

07-27-2009, 09:16 AM	#7
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	I'm in the process (well, Milt is) of repairing our disintegrating French Doors in our bedroom. Milt works on vintage houses and will be injecting a resin into the doors to repair the wood rot, stripping the paint, getting the windows that are in the doors to open and generally making the doors as "new". They will still have to be painted and not varnished. The next thing he is going to do is to put in restored double hung windows to replace the 50's slat windows in the bedroom. Then I can have air conditioning in the bedroom! Our Living Room is still hot in the afternoons, but with the windows open, it's not bad at all. I'm looking into the film to put over the big arched LR window as a heat-reflecting option - IF it won't look strange or ruin the look of the house.
	Submit to Quotes

07-27-2009, 10:24 AM	#10
Pirate Bill Quality since 1973 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Right here Posts: 473	This thread has inspired me to put some film on our upstairs windows. We have double-pain vinyl windows, but there isn't a UV block and I think that's what's causing the heat build-up upstairs. We have great attic insulation, but when the sun hits those windows it gets hot. I'll report the results when it's done.
	Submit to Quotes