I spent 60 dollars on six of those car windscreen reflectors. Nine dollars on a 8 ft tube from Bunnings and a further six dollars on two springs to fit the ends of the rod. I put it over my sliding glass balcony window to keep the heat out.
I take it off when I wake up.
Does it work?
Well my other room with the same size sliding double door window---when I wake up is around three degrees warmer,though do not have a temp gauge to measure it accurately.
Compared with the cost of power to aircon that space, it might actually get a net return before falling apart. Our homes spent a lot of years losing simple passive temperature control, hopefully the new generation of houses reembraces the cost effective and often stylistically superior design.
So why not just use tin foil from the kitchen? It wouldn't have cost more than a dollar and probably works just a good.
Don't use the 'wet' method to stick it up though. If you wet the glass and put the foil up against it the surface tension will make it stick indefinitely but some foils will also permanently stain the glass with some sort of reaction with the moisture. Not cool if you're in a rental
You can never do any better than stopping the sun from actually hitting the windows. Simple shade awnings work better than anything else, but unfortunately are not considered stylish. So instead everyone puts complete glass walls in new houses with shiny stuff on the windows that is a lot less effective than a shade awning, and then install whopping big air-conditioners to compensate.
You got ripped off Peter I got all that stuff for free when I went down the local servo the day after Aus day and collected all the Ice packaging wrap ! House was never cooler!!!! Did a full house with spot light and Bunning's !!!! The Ali foil for some reason leave residue on the window and is prick to scrub off ! luck my safety bay highschool biatch works hard ;-)
Each week went out and bough material for about 200 a week budget cost just under 5 grand 3500 being the triple block out fabric from spotlight diy and got a laser level staple gun wood saw sewing machine and a few other tools included in the overall price. the quote for pelmets were over 15+ grand to do the whole house.
You can get insulated awnings in many colours & as added bonus they are the in thing. But these sheets can get heavy so unless your on the ground floor I personally wont build them now . Unless I'm paid triple because its triple as much work . scaffolding has to be put up most times .& need second person to help carry them up.
