Problem with room getting too hot from facing the south (even in late October)
 

One of the 3 bedrooms upstairs in my new house has a strange problem in
which the temperature inside the room got as high as 84 degrees last
Thursday even when it was only in the mid 50's outside. I find this problem
strange because I live in the northeast (Northern NJ), and don't recall ever
owning a house in which a room gets so warm in the fall on a sunny day.

This problem is not due to the heating system which was not on that day. I
checked to see if the attic above has insulation, and the room does have
insulation in the attic above it, and the ceiling does not feel warm. It
seems to me that the cause of the problem is sunlight hitting the roughly 4'
x 4' window that faces the south. Even if I have the aluminum shades
closed all the way the room gets hot (as high as mid 80s in late October on
a sunny day when it's only in the mid 50s).

I'm just wondering how this problem can be solved (besides opening the
window, which isn't an option when I'm recording music in the room). Are
there any special blinds that will prevent so much heat getting into the
room due to the sunlight hitting the window? I've read about Hunter Douglas
triple-honeycomb blinds which supposedly stop 76% of solar heat from
entering a house. Will these blinds really solve the problem? If not, what
other blinds or shades will do the trick?

Thanks,

J.

I purchase a small sheet of faced 1/2" Styrofoam and cut it to size for my
windows that face west. My house was cooler this year for sure the heat
that comes in was amazing. It actually warped the Styrofoam. There has also
been an occasional odor from the heat. Not The foam has a blue plastic face
to it not foil. I was afraid the foil would deflect too much heat back to
the window.

Wayne

"jeff" wrote in message
.. .
One of the 3 bedrooms upstairs in my new house has a strange problem in
which the temperature inside the room got as high as 84 degrees last
Thursday even when it was only in the mid 50's outside. I find this
problem strange because I live in the northeast (Northern NJ), and don't
recall ever owning a house in which a room gets so warm in the fall on a
sunny day.

This problem is not due to the heating system which was not on that day.
I checked to see if the attic above has insulation, and the room does have
insulation in the attic above it, and the ceiling does not feel warm. It
seems to me that the cause of the problem is sunlight hitting the roughly
4' x 4' window that faces the south. Even if I have the aluminum shades
closed all the way the room gets hot (as high as mid 80s in late October
on a sunny day when it's only in the mid 50s).

I'm just wondering how this problem can be solved (besides opening the
window, which isn't an option when I'm recording music in the room). Are
there any special blinds that will prevent so much heat getting into the
room due to the sunlight hitting the window? I've read about Hunter
Douglas triple-honeycomb blinds which supposedly stop 76% of solar heat
from entering a house. Will these blinds really solve the problem? If
not, what other blinds or shades will do the trick?

Thanks,

J.

Your problem is probably heat through the window and wall. You could turn
on the blower in your heating/cooling system and circulate the warmer air
back into the rest of the house and you could consider it pseudo-passive
solar heating.

KB

"jeff" wrote in message
.. .
One of the 3 bedrooms upstairs in my new house has a strange problem in
which the temperature inside the room got as high as 84 degrees last
Thursday even when it was only in the mid 50's outside. I find this
problem strange because I live in the northeast (Northern NJ), and don't
recall ever owning a house in which a room gets so warm in the fall on a
sunny day.

This problem is not due to the heating system which was not on that day.
I checked to see if the attic above has insulation, and the room does have
insulation in the attic above it, and the ceiling does not feel warm. It
seems to me that the cause of the problem is sunlight hitting the roughly
4' x 4' window that faces the south. Even if I have the aluminum shades
closed all the way the room gets hot (as high as mid 80s in late October
on a sunny day when it's only in the mid 50s).

I'm just wondering how this problem can be solved (besides opening the
window, which isn't an option when I'm recording music in the room). Are
there any special blinds that will prevent so much heat getting into the
room due to the sunlight hitting the window? I've read about Hunter
Douglas triple-honeycomb blinds which supposedly stop 76% of solar heat
from entering a house. Will these blinds really solve the problem? If
not, what other blinds or shades will do the trick?

Thanks,

J.

jeff wrote:
One of the 3 bedrooms upstairs in my new house has a strange problem in
which the temperature inside the room got as high as 84 degrees last
Thursday even when it was only in the mid 50's outside. I find this problem
strange because I live in the northeast (Northern NJ), and don't recall ever
owning a house in which a room gets so warm in the fall on a sunny day.

This problem is not due to the heating system which was not on that day. I
checked to see if the attic above has insulation, and the room does have
insulation in the attic above it, and the ceiling does not feel warm. It
seems to me that the cause of the problem is sunlight hitting the roughly 4'
x 4' window that faces the south. Even if I have the aluminum shades
closed all the way the room gets hot (as high as mid 80s in late October on
a sunny day when it's only in the mid 50s).

I'm just wondering how this problem can be solved (besides opening the
window, which isn't an option when I'm recording music in the room). Are
there any special blinds that will prevent so much heat getting into the
room due to the sunlight hitting the window? I've read about Hunter Douglas
triple-honeycomb blinds which supposedly stop 76% of solar heat from
entering a house. Will these blinds really solve the problem? If not, what
other blinds or shades will do the trick?

Thanks,

J.



Reflective coating for outside of glass, awning, tree. Opening the
window a crack, top and bottom, would probably help a lot in the fall.
That's a huge window, and summer is likely to be beastly.

Blinds would probably do more good with the window open enough to let
the heat that builds betw. shade and window escape.

It's likely to lose a lot of heat in winter, so different window and/or
insulation should be considered.

Subject: Problem with room getting too hot from facing the south (even
From: Norminn
SNIP

That's a huge window, and summer is likely to be beastly.

Actually he might luck out due to increased sun angle during the summer, south
facing window are great heat collectors in winter

I have a very similar situation & summers are ok.

Bob

Short term - apply aluminum foil to window. Wet glass and apply foil, shiny
side out, smooth out wrinkles. Then cover glass & foil with a panel of foam
insulation (H-D or Lowes). If the heat's coming in the window, this will
stop it.

Longer term, consider sun control film on glass and an outdoor awning.

"jeff" wrote in message
.. .
One of the 3 bedrooms upstairs in my new house has a strange problem in
which the temperature inside the room got as high as 84 degrees last
Thursday even when it was only in the mid 50's outside. I find this
problem
strange because I live in the northeast (Northern NJ), and don't recall
ever
owning a house in which a room gets so warm in the fall on a sunny day.

This problem is not due to the heating system which was not on that day.
I
checked to see if the attic above has insulation, and the room does have
insulation in the attic above it, and the ceiling does not feel warm. It
seems to me that the cause of the problem is sunlight hitting the roughly
4'
x 4' window that faces the south. Even if I have the aluminum shades
closed all the way the room gets hot (as high as mid 80s in late October
on
a sunny day when it's only in the mid 50s).

I'm just wondering how this problem can be solved (besides opening the
window, which isn't an option when I'm recording music in the room). Are
there any special blinds that will prevent so much heat getting into the
room due to the sunlight hitting the window? I've read about Hunter
Douglas
triple-honeycomb blinds which supposedly stop 76% of solar heat from
entering a house. Will these blinds really solve the problem? If not,
what
other blinds or shades will do the trick?

Thanks,

J.

You probably have windows that do not have Low E or argon, and trasmit
100% light. The real long term solution is modern glass. If you heat up
during the day you also radiate out heat at night. And with longer
nights in winter you have a net loss. I used to have a room like that
it went to 85, then froze at night. I replaced all glass and heating
bills and AC went down 17%.
Recording equipment produces heat, run you blower to distribute it.
Window film may help, but now it is free daytime heat. Shades or
curtains will help, but Cellular shades will add R 3.3, a great first
step to improving and upping efficiency of your house.

jeff wrote:

One of the 3 bedrooms upstairs in my new house has a strange problem in
which the temperature inside the room got as high as 84 degrees last
Thursday even when it was only in the mid 50's outside. I find this problem
strange because I live in the northeast (Northern NJ), and don't recall ever
owning a house in which a room gets so warm in the fall on a sunny day.

This problem is not due to the heating system which was not on that day. I
checked to see if the attic above has insulation, and the room does have
insulation in the attic above it, and the ceiling does not feel warm. It
seems to me that the cause of the problem is sunlight hitting the roughly 4'
x 4' window that faces the south. Even if I have the aluminum shades
closed all the way the room gets hot (as high as mid 80s in late October on
a sunny day when it's only in the mid 50s).

I'm just wondering how this problem can be solved (besides opening the
window, which isn't an option when I'm recording music in the room). Are
there any special blinds that will prevent so much heat getting into the
room due to the sunlight hitting the window? I've read about Hunter Douglas
triple-honeycomb blinds which supposedly stop 76% of solar heat from
entering a house. Will these blinds really solve the problem? If not, what
other blinds or shades will do the trick?

Thanks,

J.

http://www.3m.com/us/arch_construct/scpd/windowfilm/

m Ransley wrote:

You probably have windows that do not have Low E or argon, and trasmit
100% light...

Wrong again, m. There is no such animal.

Nick

jeff wrote:

One of the 3 bedrooms upstairs in my new house has a strange problem in
which the temperature inside the room got as high as 84 degrees last
Thursday even when it was only in the mid 50's outside... It seems to me
that the cause of the problem is sunlight hitting the roughly 4' x 4'
window that faces the south.

Congratulations. You have solar heat.

I'm just wondering how this problem can be solved...

Add more south windows and a thermostat that turns on the furnace fan (only)
when the room is warm and the rest of the house needs heat. You might add
a 2' overhang for summertime shading.

Nick

Kinch the idiot Grinch who doesn't believe there are Molds that can
make people ill, or that gas tankless water heaters are a better
alternative spoke without merit again.

"Bob K 207" wrote in message

Actually he might luck out due to increased sun angle during the summer,
south
facing window are great heat collectors in winter

I have a very similar situation & summers are ok.

Bob

Before mechanical heating and cooling made it cheap, houses were designed
that way with eaves blocking the summer sun but allowing the winter light
into the room.