Unused rooms, heat storage and heat transfer

On my west facing bedroom window which has full sun now and for the previous 2 hours, I have cream coloured MS cuetains with thermal linings. I have hung folded in half another thick white damask tablecloth (again luckily not sent to the charity shop) from a net rail half way down the window..inside.
When I feel the thermal lining which is not shielded by the white cloth and then feel the thermal lining which is shielded by the cloth there is a considerable difference in temperature.

If the cloth were hanging outside the window, all the glass would be a lot cooler.
I may try that tomorrow. Its not quite long enough to cover the full height of the window sadly. I feel I need to charity shop single white cotton sheets.

This all sounds very Heath Robinson, but is a cheap solution. Outside shutters would be great, but expensive and I am not in this house long term now.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202607/medium-7ajglu-window-2.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202607/medium-e7mik1-window-1.jpg

The small 13mm rod has just arrived, the s window in the kitchen is relentlessly sunny. I have used a large piece of green greenhouse shading that I already own, next year I will get half the width in silver shade net

No-one can see that window, I am not overlooked so aesthetics don`t bother me this year. Light transmission is obviously not great because of the volume of width but at least now the heat energy to that window will be stopped at source and I can easily take the rod and net off. Objective is to be able to keep the shutters open. This is simply a test, to see if it does stop/reduce transmission of infra red (heat)

I am still waiting for Evri to deliver the silver shade nets, hope it is before we get to 28 here, am expecting more than 30 next week

We have heavy white lined curtains on the sunny side that keeps the temperature down, then let the cool air in at night. A large ceiling fan in the bedroom keeps the air moving at night, after the very hottest days a shower before bedtime makes a big difference.

i wish i had unused rooms especially a bathroom! we tend to keep the bedroom curtains drawn in the day with the windows open though the small window is usually open anyway. Living in our bungalow now we tend to leave the front door open like they all do round here. makes a lovely atmosphere in this cul de sac. usually front windows are open if hot and bathroom is open anyway. Kitchen is always open anyway. we keep cold towels for the doggy and have a few fans going

Dyson Cool

karmalady you are one amazing lady!

I agree this week has been lovely. Normal summer weather. With a cool breeze early morning. Tonight there is pleasant breeze and of course this week all our doors and windows have been open. As in a normal summer.

But next week with temperatures to hit 32+ like the week before last, I will be closing doors and windows from 9 am to 9 pm. And curtains closed on the south facing windows. Any through draft would be unwelcome hot air.

Taichinan

After reading all that, all I can say is that I'm glad I live in NE Scotland 😁🥶😁

Taichinan my ds is also in NE Scotland, loving the weather there

Its been lovely weather here this week too, not forgetting that The UK has many microclimates

Just need to say yes `faffing` will be tremendously worth it if we stifle in a severe heatwave again. Total cost has been shy of £100 and will last for very many years. All of it is easily removable for storage

I live near Cambridge. I have my windows open. I would find it stifling otherwise.
A couple of fans are the only things I've set up.

HelterSkelter1 I am in the S E.

My family home was for many years between a Mediterranean country and the village I live in.

I’m 50 miles N of London but in a village rather than a town and I can attest to comfortable temperatures inside and overnight this past week. Of course things may get worse but there’s been a pleasant breeze which has made it very pleasant and once the sun is no longer on the house, (N/S facing) I can open windows and doors for a lovely through draught.
It’s been quite cool at night too so, again, open windows upstairs have kept it comfortable. Other than that, remembering to shut the curtains in any rooms getting the sun has been quite enough.

GG13 we are outside London and no way would we open doors and windows at all in the day time. And some evenings in the last heatwave the air was too hot till very late in the evening say 10.00 pm.
Which area are you in that you can open up during the day?

I am sure that karma's house will benefit from the measures she is taking. Hooks and rods mean that she can cover the outside of the windows to deflect the heat and remove them easily once the strong heatwave passes.

We are awaiting delivery of shading material and will do similar across south facing patio doors.

Houses did get hot down here, Taichinan.
Ours is a 30's in a very green area with lots of tree shade & not too much hard landscaping, but after 3 days the house was getting hot.
My mum lives in a approx 200yo cottage dug into the ground on one side, which makes it irredemiably prone to damp on that side in winter.But when I went up to visit, the whole house was so cool. The ground it's built into works as a heat sink I think, at least in rural areas (not sure about London basements)

It really does seem a lot of faffing 🤷‍♀️

We just open windows and blinds which are in the shade and close when in the sun.

All open at dawn and dusk

After reading all that, all I can say is that I'm glad I live in NE Scotland 😁🥶😁

plus I needed to avoid the corner joins as they would compromise the hooks ability to carry weight

hook position

Trial and error, I wasted 3 sticky pads, had the hooks too high and the vents were preventing me from lowering the rods

I did use the rubbing alcohol and have put one hook on each side of a pair of doors, 4 hooks altogether. I think this will work fine to support the rods. I want to be able to lift the rods and shades off when we are in between fierce heatwaves as I like the French doors open when the weather is nice. Best to use pencil marks to avoid the hooks being askew

Those doors open to 90 degrees so the hooks won`t get in the way. Each hook can hold 5lb and the rod weighs a few oz

I might not need to extend these rods tight against the wall but I will do a test tomorrow

I have 2 sets like in the photo, hence long rods. I don`t want to be drilling or to use glue of any sort

Taken during the last heatwave, before bubblewrap on the side windows

just ordered the shorter rod from amazon. 13mm diameter

Early days but the green garden mesh has worked beautifully, it is noticeably cooler in the utility room. I tied it to the pole with string, had to use a wool needle to get the string through the lengths between grommets. I am very happy

I have put the two long rods up, they can be flexed a bit, which I did rather than put the end against the render to tighten. That would have made a gouge. They are in a position so I can get the command hooks up for extra support, hoping they arrive today. The suction hooks are rubbish for that job

The window over the sink gets full force sun for hours, I can net that outside too, just ordec for attaching the red a rod for that window. I have net which is far too long but the window is higher up anyway and the net can just hang, the shorter pole will be rigid

I am not making any channels for the new shade nets, still to arrive via evri. String will do fine and length will be ok as I have placed the long rods just below the vents, I need the upvc for attaching the command hooks

Almost finished

Karmalady My window will look like your pic with the netting. I can tuck the bottom under a quite heavy window box. And then that will stay. I will leave the card inside in place but remove the white sheet to be used elsewhere. Its actually an old damask tablecloth so nice and thick. Luckily not decluttered away.

Thank you for the info karmalady.
Currently our kitchen has a fixed window above the sink east facing with a 3 pane hopper window at the top. I,have covered the hopper window panes with thick white card and draped a folded white cotton sheet over the lower half shutting the hopper window onto it to hold it in place.

This has made a great difference to the dazzling early morning sun. Cant tell heat wise as it is cooler anyway since fixing it.

I have a cataract op on one eye on Monday which is why the sun has felt extra dazzling. The card and sheet have helped a lot.
We also have render on the outside walls on the back of the house whivh is why SIL put 2 hooks onto the wooden window frame for me to hang the shading stuff when it arrives and not into the wall.
Sadly I decluttered to the charity shop 3 single striped cotton sheets (from my childhood) very recently. They could have been used by me or DD. Oh well gone now.

karmalady

Whitewavemark2

We needs exterior blinds that are used in Mediterranean countries.

Not feasible for most if windows open outwards

Quite possibly, but would you have your window open if you needed the blinds down?

I have to take the keys out of my French doors as they open outwards, luckily the utility room door opens inwards and gives me access