Help! We have a 1970's unit with big living room windows facing West, also a glass enclosed front entry which is like a sauna. Downstairs it's fine, but upstairs becomes unbearably hot in the afternoons, in spite of blinds and curtains being kept closed. Anyone have any suggestions on how to alleviate this?
tweake,
Dec 21, 6:05am
external shade. shade sail, deck with veranda. also tinted glass or change the windows. aircon.
deecee2,
Dec 21, 7:29am
Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, we have aircon and the front entry already has tinted glass but it doesn't seem to help much. The external shade or shade sail are probably the best bet, but unfortunately we're not allowed to make any changes to the external appearance of the units without going through the Body Corporate, and getting the approval of the other owners (who don't have the same problem). We might have to explore that option further though.
tweake,
Dec 21, 7:42am
i assume you are already closing the curtains. aircon should really be dealing with the heat. is it working properly?
the other thing check for air leakage through the ceiling. if you have ventilation system make sure its not pumping in hot air.
do you have temp and humidity gauges to see how hot the rooms are getting ?
tweake,
Dec 21, 7:45am
i forgot, make sure downstairs is not getting the sun and check for air paths from down stairs (ie stair well). hot air will rise and cooled air con air will sink down stairs. so you need to make sure downstairs is not getting the sun and there is no air flow from upstairs to downstairs.
deecee2,
Dec 21, 8:53am
Yes, already closing the curtains and aircon is fine, but I'd much prefer not having to run it all day. No problem with air leakage etc and no airflow from upstairs to downstairs as there are two doors in between. The stair well is an oven though. The downstairs area is a pleasant temperature. No temp or humidity gauges apart from the sweat dripping from me!
lythande1,
Dec 21, 7:04pm
Window film perhaps, I did that in our laundry. It helps some. the best thing is a grape vine. That is out our North west deck, shade is brilliant now, keeps the inside cooler too. And the leaves fall off so you get the nice sun in winter.
deecee2,
Dec 22, 2:04am
Thanks lythande1. Yes, window film helps slightly and I'd love a grape vine, but it's not feasible. I took tweake's advice and bought a temperature gauge today - it's 28o in the lounge and 29o in the stairwell, so I feel even hotter!
hazelnut2,
Dec 22, 3:36am
Open the windows to let the heat out!
tweake,
Dec 22, 5:23am
that hot stairwell is interesting. does that back onto an outside wall that gets the sun?
don't discount air moving from upstairs and down stairs.i would check how the sun is hitting down stairs.
however it sounds similar to my own. west facing single glazing. lots of mid day to after noon sun. it was 28 when i got home today (hit 33 the other day when i forgot to close the curtains).
the main cure is simply shade, external is far better than internal. some poor mans double glazing might help a bit.
i just run the aircon, doesn't take long to drop it down to 25 or so and reducing the humidity makes it a lot more comfortable. it add $20 or so to the monthly power bill.
tweake,
Dec 22, 5:27am
it actually doesn't work all that well. you need to move a lot of air flow to get rid of that heat. it doesn't help that the "cool" air is quite hot. when you only have a difference in temp of 3-4 degrees you don't get much cooling done.
deecee2,
Dec 22, 5:39am
We have a glass encased front entry, which heats up like a conservatory. The front door has glass above and beside it and hence heat comes through into the stairwell. I've just invested in sunblock blinds for this glass but it's not making much of a difference. So that's heat source number one.
Downstairs only has a couple of small windows on that side of the house, which are double glazed, so no, the heat isn't coming from there, it's nice and cool downstairs.
Upstairs has big windows on three sides, East, South and West so we get the sun all day, so that the second heat source. I love the view, but keeping the blinds and curtains closed all day rather stuffs that.
Yes, your place does sound very similar. Poor man's double glazing? I'd love to know what that is. Bubble wrap? Aesthetically I'd prefer not, but as a superannuitant home all day, I may have to resort to that. At the moment I'm running the aircon from about 2pm onwards. It'll be interesting to see the power bill at the end of the month.
deecee2,
Dec 22, 5:41am
If only it was that easy. I've already tried windows open, windows shut, windows open all night, windows open all day, windows shut all night, windows shut all day, windows half open, windows open day and night etc etc.
tweake,
Dec 22, 6:53am
try the 3m window insulator kit. ideally change the window glass out. but thats $$$$.
it really does sound like just glass issue, not sure how much heat you would get through the wall, 70's where generally not insulated.
not sure of anything else. window shading is the best, i wonder if they allow something temporary.
strathview,
Dec 22, 7:08am
I used venetian blinds. Definitely kept the room cooler (it was a kitchen) and I could still see out. Windows open too for air current. There are also shade type blinds that can help shade the room and also let you see the view.
deecee2,
Sep 1, 3:53am
Thanks for all the suggestions, much appreciated. Yes, I'll try the 3m window kit and maybe venetian blinds, I have them in one room and they seem to work better than the sunshade blinds. I also put bubble wrap on one window today, I'll see how it goes. Many thanks.
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