The heat in an apartment in many regions of Russia persists for three to four months a year. What are the most effective methods of protection from heat, in the material WINDOWS MEDIA.
There are 5 main ways to protect against heat in an apartment, which will help reduce the air temperature to a comfortable one. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. To reduce the intensity of heating of the room, you need to block the access of sunlight through the window or constantly cool the room. This can be done with:
- air conditioning installations;
- blinds and curtains (blackout, not transmitting or reflecting the sun's rays);
- ordinary foil glued to windows;
- special tinting reflective film;
- windows from the sun using special solar control or multifunctional glass.
Curtains in the apartment
All methods of closing windows in a house from the sun can be divided into those that provide complete darkness, and others that lead only to a partial reduction in light intensity. Curtains - the simplest and most common means of sun protection - can be included in both groups, because the degree of reduction in light brightness will be directly related to their density.
You need to knock out the fabric for the curtains depending on how much you want to darken the windows. Light linen or satin curtains only slightly delay the flow of sunlight, but heavy draperies can turn day into night in a room.
When purchasing curtains, you also pay attention to the shade of the fabric. It is better if the material is dense and light, since it heats up less, but blocks the sun's rays. If you want to make the room elegant at the same time, you should choose a set of curtains with tulle.
Austrian curtains
These curtains have a wavy bottom edge trimmed with fringe. They were invented in Austria and were initially used only in the royal palace, and were made of heavy velvet. Nowadays, for Austrian curtains, durable, stiff fabric is chosen to create lush folds.
Roman curtains
An excellent option for protecting your room from the sun is to hang Roman blinds. When unfolded, they are a regular flat sheet, but when lifted, horizontal, overlapping folds are formed on it. Natural materials are usually used to create Roman blinds. They are well suited for classic and modern interiors.
Roller blinds
Such products are attached to the ceiling or window opening and create good darkness. You can choose a roller blind without any problems if you know the dimensions of your window. If the window is non-standard, there is always the option of having it made to order. Roller blinds have a lot of advantages:
- ease of installation and operation;
- light weight;
- a wide variety of colors and fabrics;
- easy care.
Reflexols (vertical awnings)
They are roller blinds installed on the outside of the glass. The canvas can be made of acrylic, PVC, fiberglass and other wear-resistant materials that can withstand atmospheric influences.
Structurally, reflexols are quite simple. During the opening/closing process, the blade moves along guide rods or cables. A weighting strip is attached to its lower edge, which serves for uniform tension. When folded, the roller with the fabric either remains visible or is retracted into the cartridge. The second option, of course, is more practical and aesthetically pleasing, although it is a little more expensive.
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Sun blinds
Blinds are another effective method of cutting out excess light and heat. They are made from different materials and also have different designs. When installing blinds in the room, the temperature decreases, creating a feeling of coolness and comfort.
External blinds
Typically, external blinds are installed to protect property from thieves, because they reduce the risk of unwanted entry. In hot weather, such products perfectly shade the room. When you lower the blinds, a “protective screen” appears that repels the sun’s rays.
The most reliable are external blinds made of galvanized metal, which are not afraid of moisture, wind, do not rust, and also have an additional reflective effect.
To escape the sun, you need to choose blinds with the ability to change the angle of the slats. Without leaving small cracks, the room will be too dark. Ideally, you can control the product from the remote control directly from your apartment. The interior with external blinds will look stylish and the room will look spacious.
Internal blinds made of metal and plastic
Such products are popular in offices and public buildings, but they can also be used at home. They are an alternative to heavy curtains and lambrequins and are great for modern interiors.
Blinds can even be made from special reflective plates, which, when installed at a special angle, perfectly repel the sun's rays. The disadvantage of internal blinds is that they are difficult to clean - dust accumulates on the plates, and scrubbing it off is quite tedious.
Bamboo blinds
Bamboo blinds come in vertical and horizontal types and can have different colors and types of designs. They fit perfectly into many styles, are equipped with the ability to rotate slats, and are quite affordable. The downside is the need for frequent wet cleaning.
Pleated blinds
Such blinds are a structure of fabric strips connected by a lifting mechanism. They can make shading weak or strong, almost complete (depending on the density of matter). Externally, the product resembles ordinary blinds, but it looks more comfortable and soft.
Blackout curtains and blinds
The Black-out canvas can be called a brilliant invention of mankind. It consists of three layers made using a special thread weaving technology, therefore it reliably retains sunlight and practically does not let it into the room. There are different options for blackout blinds and curtains on sale - from economy to premium class.
Classic curtains are sewn from this fabric, Roman blinds, roller blinds, and even pleated blinds are made. Some models use acrylic or metal coating to create an additional reflective effect. When ventilating, the curtains will need to be opened completely, otherwise the air in the room will become musty over time.
Rules for selecting colors and density, popular manufacturers of window stickers
The ability of a coating to transmit light flux is expressed as a percentage, and the higher the indicator, the more sunlight can pass through the material. Density is selected based on the following indicators:
- the need to ensure the confidentiality of the premises;
- room lighting conditions;
- personal preferences of the owners.
Choosing the desired coating color in retail establishments will not be difficult due to the large assortment of shades. When choosing the right color scheme, you should focus not only on the surrounding interior, but also on the degree of light transmission of each shade. It is the color of the film that will subsequently become the main component of the appearance of the interior, because each tone has its own transparency indicators. Below are the transparency levels (in percentage) of the most commonly purchased shades:
- purple, gray and bronze – 15;
- smoky – 20;
- gray, blue, golden – up to 35;
- silver – up to 50.
A wide selection of film densities allows you to achieve the desired result without any problems
When purchasing self-adhesive film for glass, you should not try to save money, because there is a high probability of purchasing a low-quality product. Cheap materials may have uneven application. In addition, over time they stick to the surface so much that it becomes impossible to separate them from the window, and it is recommended to change the coating once every 7-8 years. In order not to regret the purchase and the money spent, it is recommended to initially give preference to products from trusted manufacturers. The following brands have proven themselves best:
- Eastman Chemical. The largest American company with the most modern equipment for film production.
- Ultra Vision and Armolan. Other companies from the USA that are constantly developing new technologies, offering the buyer functional and thoughtful innovations. They are considered companies that sell products with an optimal price-quality ratio.
- Professional Window Film. A South Korean company that supplies high-quality film to the domestic market at an affordable price.
- Sun Control. A well-known UK company, but the main enterprises are also concentrated in South Korea. The distinctive features of the films are premium quality and high cost.
Various methods and features of installing window film
Installing solar reflective film on windows is not a difficult task, but requires minimal skills. You shouldn’t try to do everything quickly - it’s better to spend a few hours, but do the job efficiently. If you are not confident in your own abilities, you can turn to specialized companies for help, whose contacts are usually known at the point of sale of the material.
When gluing the tint film, the temperature in the room should be maintained from +5 to +40 degrees
Before gluing the solar control film on the window yourself, you should make sure you have the following tools:
- a spatula, and it is better to take not a metal one, but a rubber or plastic one, to avoid damage;
- stationery knife;
- scraper;
- spray bottle;
- glass cleaner or regular liquid soap.
There are three coating methods:
- Inside the glass unit. Provides reliable protection against overheating. But installation of the film is only possible at the window manufacturing stage, because it is located on the inside of the glass facing the street.
- On the outside of the outer glass. This type of installation ensures maximum heat reflection; the coating is cooled by wind blowing.
- From inside the room. The laminated inner part of the glass, which opens into the room, helps to retain heat inside the room, and in the summer it does not allow the room to overheat unnecessarily. In this case, you need to choose the right level of light transmittance of the material, which should not be less than 30-40%.
Window tinting, including balconies and loggias, can be done from the inside or outside of the glass
Sun protection film
To reduce the level of illumination without changing the interior, you can use a special light-protective (thermal-protective) film. Such materials are made from polymers with varying degrees of light resistance. Here are the most popular film options:
- internal - glued to the inside of the window, come in a variety of colors;
- external - mounted from the street, durable and not afraid of precipitation;
- spatter - multi-layered, characterized by the highest sun protection properties;
- mirror - reflect light, provide a masking effect.
Foil
The use of foil is an old, inexpensive and proven method of shading windows, which can be called folk. The foil has a low price and can be easily glued to the window using tape.
Unfortunately, this method has many more disadvantages:
- unaesthetic appearance;
- the need to turn on the light during the day due to strong shading;
- inability to adjust the light level;
- lack of modernity;
- sticking of the foil and the need to scrape it off.
Foil
Putting foil on a window with your own hands
When people hide windows from the hot activity of the sun, they resort to foil. Covering the window with foil can effectively reflect sunlight. Foil can be purchased at any grocery store, supermarket or market. The foil is usually secured with tape. This is an option that would be perfect for indoor curtains, but it certainly won’t add any aesthetic effect.
Electrochromic glass
Smart glass, or electrochromic glass, is an innovative material that can change its optical properties (light transmittance and light absorption) as needed. When installing such a double-glazed window, the windows will be completely transparent in the morning, in the heat of the day they will begin to repel light, and in the evening they will completely turn into light-tight. Such glasses save energy, although they themselves are quite expensive.
Climbing greenery
Offices, houses and apartments are often decorated with living climbing plants. If you plant them on the street side, you can perfectly shade the room. The plants will constantly grow and close the window, thereby reducing the number of rays that penetrate inside. In addition, such a mini-kindergarten looks simply amazing and gives a good mood.
It is best to use wild grapes, clematis, wisteria, ivy and other plants for windows, which are usually located near arbors, fences, arches. If desired, you can shade an entire balcony or several windows in the house with them.
Balcony.
Residents of the first floors are actually happy people. They can get permission from a special organization and complete the balcony.
The balcony can be not only rectangular, but also semicircular, and this area can be used as a separate room where you can have breakfast, organize a children's room, place a winter garden, or store unnecessary and large things, such as a bicycle.
For an apartment on the ground floor you can add a balcony
Pros: – room darkening; – increasing the area of the apartment;
Disadvantages: – to implement the idea you need special permission; – construction requires considerable investment in material and labor;
To build a balcony you must obtain permission
In this article, we looked at ideas on how you can darken windows from the sun and it’s up to you to decide which method you choose for your apartment or country house!
And don’t let the sun’s rays wake you up in the morning, don’t let the warm air flow into your home, and don’t let your indoor plants delight you with flowers!
Do-it-yourself window protection from the sun
It happens that there is no opportunity to change the interior or buy new curtains. In such a situation, it is not necessary to wait until summer is over. You can use available means for shading windows:
- take a roll of paper or a piece of wallpaper, compress it like a fan and make pleated paper curtains;
- build an external canopy (awning) from tarpaulin, attach it to brackets;
- buy building backing and attach it to the outside of the window in place of the blinds.
In order not to suffer from the heat, you need to choose a suitable method and protect the room from the scorching sun . This way you can survive the summer comfortably for yourself and your family!
Available means
Often, owners of apartments and dachas whose windows are oriented to the south do not bother themselves with what they consider to be unnecessary work and expenses on purchasing curtains, blinds or film, but use improvised materials to shade the windows.
The most common raw material for improvised “light filters” is newspapers, which are attached to windows using buttons, staplers or tape.
Another common option is to use aluminum foil. Baking foil is the most popular material at hand in the fight against the blinding Sun.
Foil is also often used to cover thin roll insulation materials: “Penofol”, “Izolon” and the like. Moreover, the effect of using these materials exceeds all expectations. Due to the fact that the foil almost completely reflects the sun's rays, the polyethylene foam backing acts as a “thermos” and prevents the penetration of ultrasonic radiation (thermal) into the apartment.
Thus, foil, despite the unpresentable appearance that a window covered with it acquires, copes with its tasks in the best way, on a par with reflective “mirror” film.
Wallpaper remaining after renovation can be successfully used to shade windows from excess sunlight. From them you can literally make original blinds in 20-30 minutes, which can last the entire summer season, and in the fall, as unnecessary, are mercilessly thrown away.
You can make accordion blinds by folding a strip of wallpaper 30-50 mm wide and attaching a wooden weight strip at the bottom to allow you to straighten the improvised blinds.
In order for such blinds to completely cover the window opening, it is necessary to take a strip of wallpaper 1.5 times longer than the height of the window (frame). For ease of control of the blinds, you can drill holes in a tightly rolled accordion (100 mm from the edges) into which to thread a thick nylon or cotton thread. In this case, you will have to equip the improvised blinds with the same improvised cornice made of wooden slats, to which you will attach the upper edge of the corrugated wallpaper and two wire hinges, through which the thread of the mechanism for raising/lowering the blinds will slide.
Such blinds should be placed with the unpainted side of the wallpaper facing the street. Simple paper wallpapers are best suited for making. Vinyl-coated wallpaper does not hold its shape well due to the elasticity and resilience of the outer layer. When heated in the sun, they will spontaneously straighten. In addition, heated vinyl coating emits a specific odor.
