Need ideas for keeping my house cool

[ray1970]

Ok. Here's the story. My bedroom faces southwest and has three large windows. In the hottest part of the day the sun beats down on those windows and makes it really hot in the room. There used to be a large cottonwood tree in my front yard that shaded the front of the house in the afternoon and it was never an issue. Unfortunately, I had to take that tree down several years ago. I have central air and the rest of the house stays comfortable. It's just my bedroom that seems to be ten degrees hotter than the rest of the house.

Not looking to to spend a ton of money right now. Looking for a quick, easy fix. Don't even care too much if it's a little ghetto.

I'm leaning towards blocking or partially blocking the windows with styrofoam sheets like they use for insulating houses or maybe installing a small AC unit in one of the windows. Thought about tinting the windows but they really need to be replaced soon anyways so I'd rather not waste the time or money doing that.

What are some of my other options?

[cofi]

Tint em auto tint is like 10$ a roll and will do a few Windows

It sucks to apply to autos it's retarted easy on home windows

[blacklabel]

An awning and blackout curtains.

[cofi]

An awning and blackout curtains.
Our blackout curtains produce a lot of heat mid day it feels like I have a small heater on when you stand near them

[earplug]

duct tape and aluminum foil.

[Delfuego]

duct tape and aluminum foil.He already has a hat like that [Poke]

[ray1970]

duct tape and aluminum foil.

Don't think that hasn't crossed my mind.

[BPTactical]

Cheeto bags taped to the window.





Seriously though, tint the windows

[Ah Pook]

Park one of these in front of the windows?
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&docid=Z61D3DmVaH90mM&tbnid=oBbdqMu-H4-ojM:&ved=0CAUQjBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oldcarsweekly.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2FDSCN9929.jpg&ei=i-B4U_O_O5GMqAavtYLgAw&psig=AFQjCNFCulUihJwQ3FJdx_QebmXZC8RYug&ust=1400517132046874

[LOL]

Is an attic fan feasible? Install it near the windows to suck up the heat and draw cool air from the rest of the house.

[Dave]

Tint em auto tint is like 10$ a roll and will do a few Windows

It sucks to apply to autos it's retarted easy on home windows

This. I'm planning on doing this for my south facing windows. Though mine is a rental so I don't want to put very much money into something I don't own. It does suck in the summer, no A/C and my house faces north/south with only one small window on the east side, so no cross breeze.

[Hotchef181818]

I deal with the same problem. I've installed thermal curtains that definately help. I'm in the process of figuring out how to install a solar powered exhaust fan in my attic as well since I have a tile roof that acts as a pizza stone in the summer. Has anyone had one of these installed ?

[Rooskibar03]

Tint window.

Instal thermal curtains, they really do help.

install a small on room window A/C unit. Nothing worse than a hot room to sleep in.

[funkymonkey1111]

if it's just one room, even the smallest little window AC units will work find, especially if there's other cooling going on in the house. if you want real cooling, do that--otherwise you're just wasting your time and $$$

[jslo]

Tint windows, thermal curtains, add insulation and attic exhaust. Or, move thermostat to bedroom but sounds like it will run pretty much nonstop.

[Irving]

Awnings can do a decent job but have the potential to be ugly, especially if they are only on a few windows. Tint is probably the way to go. I'd do the cheap auto tint for now some the windows need replaced anyway.

[Great-Kazoo]

Turn your furnace fan from Auto to ON.

[ray1970]

Turn your furnace fan from Auto to ON.

I've tried this. It doesn't help. The house is one of those funky multi level houses. It has four levels. The thermostat is on the ground level. The lowest level will usually be about 64 degrees and my bedroom will be over 80 degrees.

I've seriously been thinking about an attic fan of some sort.

[sniper7]

Tinted windows is the best idea if you still want to look out of them. Other than that, I would get a harbor freight silver tarp that is reflective and put it on the outside of the windows. It will block the light and reflect the heat and be very cheap.

a small window a/c will definitely cool the room and probably pay for itself in the savings from the big a/c trying to cool that room.

or an awning over the windows depending on the angle the sun comes in. That plus tint would be pretty effective. The blinds would definitely help as well.

[SideShow Bob]

Move your bedroom to the lowest level. Short of a window A/C unit or swamp cooler, the sun beating on the outer wall(s) will raise the inside temperature of that side of the house even with tinted & multi pane windows.
Plant another tree outside that side of the house, and in about 15 - 20 years it will shade the house again.

[Gman]

Sounds like you have a house like my last one. Multi-level with the master BR over the garage on the West side. Got the afternoon sun. I never could solve the problem, so I moved. Current house has master BR on the East side which, from another lesson I learned, was away from the street.

[ray1970]

Plant another tree outside that side of the house, and in about 15 - 20 years it will shade the house again.

I'll probably do that. Unfortunately, I'll probably be dead before it gets big enough to shade the house.

[nisils14]

There is tint at specifically meant for heat control. You can find it at home depot. I installed some on some south facing windows in the living room, it was a noticeable difference.

[BPTactical]

An attic fan will help lots, especially on the top floor. You get the added benefit of helping your roof last longer.

[Grant H.]

If you use tint, put it on the outside of the window.

The heat that gets created will be on the outside of the window instead of inside.

[def90]

Low E window film and blackout curtains.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Window_Film/Solutions/Resources/Resources_List/FAQs/

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Window_Film/Solutions/Markets-Products/Residential/Sun_Control_Window_Films/

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Any return air vents upstairs? Specifically you room or a hallway that shares the same wall?

[ray1970]

Any return air vents upstairs? Specifically you room or a hallway that shares the same wall?

There's one in the hallway right outside my bedroom door. Why?

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

If you can cut the dry wall in your room and use the chase way of the studs and put in a high air return it will pull the hot air off the ceiling.

[ray1970]

If you can cut the dry wall in your room and use the chase way of the studs and put in a high air return it will pull the hot air off the ceiling.

Ahh. No can do on that. I do have another one on a lower level. What if I block that one off and pull all of my return air off the top level of the house? Will that make it better or worse?

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Don't do that. Another option is to cut the upper and lower directly above and block off the lower. Unless you cut vents above your door this solution will not help the bedroom you specifically asked about.

[ray1970]

Starting to think tossing in a $138 AC unit from Home Depot is the way to go.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Yes sir. Might be a little speedy to run.

[SideShow Bob]

Starting to think tossing in a $138 AC unit from Home Depot is the way to go.

What the $103 5K BTU unit isn't good enough for you ? You decadent capatialist must spend an extra $35 to get the same BTU rating but have a remote control so you can turn it on and off from your bed ? [LOL]

[ray1970]

What the $103 5K BTU unit isn't good enough for you ? You decadent capatialist must spend an extra $35 to get the same BTU rating but have a remote control so you can turn it on and off from your bed ? [LOL]

A remote? I can get a remote? Sweet!

(My ceiling fan has a remote. Very nice not to have to get up to adjust the fan speeds or turn the light on or off.)

[HoneyBadger]

duct tape and aluminum foil.
I'm not kidding: I hung several of the $3 mylar "survival blankets" from Walmart up in my office windows. It was getting up into the 90s in my office on a sunny day and now it only gets into the low 80s.

[newracer]

Blackout cellular blinds have always worked well for me.

[flogger]

Whole house fans work wonders, but you may need to add roof vents for it to work.

[Aloha_Shooter]

As was said before, put an awning on the window(s) most affected by the sun. Intercept those rays before they even hit the glass, everything else is secondary. If the window(s) are first floor and you can't attach an awning, buy one of those popup canopies for $100 and stake it down in front of the window to shade the window.

[wyome]

Move the kids into that room, and u move into another cooler room of your choice.

[gnihcraes]

Isn't the house Cool just by you being there? <jk>

Foiled Bubble wrap stuff at home depot, but a couple feet of it and tape it in the window. I used that as the headliner in a work minivan once, worked great.

[rondog]

Yeah, go to Home Depot and get a roll of Reflectix insulation, it's like two layers of small bubble wrap sandwiched between two sheets of heavy aluminum foil. Cut to fit and tape in place. It'll be dark as a tomb in there, but should cut down on the heat considerably. Google it.

[Irving]

Oh snap, can't believe no one mentioned it yet. Get shutters. Can block out the sun during the day, open at night, can protect from weather much better, and will class up the place more than an awning.

[ray1970]

Oh snap, can't believe no one mentioned it yet. Get shutters. Can block out the sun during the day, open at night, can protect from weather much better, and will class up the place more than an awning.

I did think about shutters. Might go price them this weekend. Not sure about being able to open and close them easily as my bedroom is on the second floor.

[Irving]

Yeah, it's more realistic without the screen, which is pretty much a must.

[MarkCO]

Long before there were blackout blinds, we used 1" insulating foam, spray one side with 3M 77 adhesive and cover with tinfoil, shiny side out. Work wonders, and cheap. I use low-e and blackout blinds for the wife's benefit now.

An attic fan on a timer, or with a T-stat that pulls from your room will help. On when the sun goes down and or when T hits set point. But all told, you are looking at $300 or so if you have a well ventilated attic, which you might not have. A few bats of insulation above that room and foam the exterior walls are also good, but not cheap to foam.

The attic fan will increase the severity for those with environmental allergies like grass and pollen during certain times of the year.

[SideShow Bob]

The attic fan will increase the severity for those with environmental allergies like grass and pollen during certain times of the year.

If you have a wood burning fireplace or wood stove and put in a whole house fan, mount the switch out of the reach of children to prevent them from turning it on during the winter while the fireplace is in use....... Not fun, I know from firsthand experience.

[colorider]

external shutters are expensive. Plantation shutters for the inside are going to cost you about $24 a square foot. That is for a composite material shutter, not hardwood.
The best insulating blind on the market right now is the Hunter Douglas Architella honeycomb shade. Insulates so well that it is the only window treatment to ever be allowed the tax credit energy rebate. They are not cheap though. If you are on a budget, window tint is an option coupled with a good quality honeycomb shade. I would suggest a blackout honeycomb with the mylar insert. Home depot carries them under the My Blinds label and also the Bali label. If you shoot me a PM with the size of the windows, I can get you a price on any style of blind or shutter. I own a blind and window treatment business and will make sure to take care of ya best I can. When it comes down to it, it really is how much you are willing to spend in order to get a blind/shade to do the best insulation for ya. You should get something that is going to open and close so you are not stuck with a cave of a room.
Pm me .

[ray1970]

PM coming, colorider. Thanks. [Beer]

[Stone83]

Save some $$$$ and try this option.....
45229

[kwando]

Save some $$$$ and try this option.....
45229

Haha I saw something similar on YouTube. The air coming out was a cold 4x degrees. I plan on making, just for shits and giggles.

http://youtu.be/HxSLbpAwibg

[Stone83]

Haha I saw something similar on YouTube. The air coming out was a cold 4x degrees. I plan on making, just for shits and giggles.

http://youtu.be/HxSLbpAwibg

I plan to build this as well....Makes sence, and cheap

[TheGrey]

I lucked into finding some thermal/blackout drapes at Savers. They've got a 50% off sale on Monday for Memorial Day, but even at their full price, for $26, I got $100 worth of attactve drapes that keep the room cool and private.