Is it hot in here, or am I just crazy?

[STMahlberg]

Here is some information that I wanted to share regarding heat. My apartment is upstairs and the one window that is in the dining room, which isn't much of a dining room considering my apartment is only 750 sq.ft., faces west and gets direct sunlight from 2pm until sunset. This area is where I have my desk and rig setup; it gets rather warm in this little corner even though the rest of the place is 73 degrees. I hung a large comforter over the window to block light and heat from this area and it still gets warm. For Las Vegas we have been getting a steady 106° as of late. Between the window and the comforter gets so hot it actually has melted the vinyl vertical blinds.

Anyways, I was doing to research and found this from Gila Window Films. (http://www.gilafilms.com/en/Energy-Saving-Window-Film.aspx) I tried this on a smaller window in the apartment and it works fantastic! The only place I have been able to find it locally is Home Depot. Unfortunately, this stuff is pretty expensive; it's $40 a roll which is a 3 x 6 foot sheet. The stuff I like about this is that it is uses static cling to hold onto the window as opposed to the usual adhesive. They do have this in the adhesive version which is around $35 for a 3 x 15 foot roll. Since I'm in a rental, I didn't want something fairly permanent.

Just thought I would share... I am actually headed out now to go get 2 more rolls to do this main window.

Energy Saving Titanium (peel & cling)

Cuts cooling costs up to 50%
Rejects up to 72% of the sun's heat
Helps reduce fading to interior furnishings
Rejects up to 99% of UV rays
Reduces glare
Available sizes:
3' x 6.5' – covers 1 standard window
Energy Saving Titanium (peel & cling) is available only at select retailers

[Mike029]

I think that's the same stuff they use on the space shuttle. :p

[YoDude9999]

Roll of aluminum foil (enough to cover every window in your home) $8.95
Roll of professional non-permanent easily removable blue masking tape $6.95

Place shiny side of foil outward on the outside of the window. Use blue masking tape to hold in place around outside edges of foil.
Doesn't look great but works better than anything else you can buy and it's cheap.
By placing it on the outside of the window, you're reflecting nearly all heat away before it even gets to the window. This works the best because if placed on the inside of the window, the glass still gets heated and then the heat transfers to the inside although still will work very well as the sunlight doesn't get inside to heat everything it contacts. Blue masking tape doesn't dry out over time and remains removable just by pealing it off for years and doesn't leave a residue. Completely seal the foil to the window all the way around and the wind won't blow it off.

I learned this trick when I lived in an RV for six years through some really hot summers. It made the difference in my rig being livable while I had to sleep during the day as I drove taxi all night long. Without using this method, the AC couldn't keep up with the heat and the sleeping area temp would rise to 95 degrees. After applying foil to the windows, the AC would keep up and I could sleep in 70 degree temps. Of course by blocking out all the light, it turned my rig into a dark cave, but the rewards of pleasing temps was well worth the darkness and slight unsightliness of the foil. After all, I did have lighting!