Keeping a house cool in the summer - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Calgary14 · 03-10-2014, 06:39 PM

With the weather heating up I noticed in the last week our house is starting to get a bit warmer. In the summer it can get quite hot and not sure how to keep it cool - any suggestions appreciated.

The house faces the east and has a west facing backyard. There are no houses behind it, only a big green space. We get tons of sun. There are three large windows at the back looking out onto the backyard. This is where the sun shines in during the day.

It's a new home, just over a year old. We have the honeycomb style cellular shades that are off-white. They are installed in the window pane itself and cover the entire window. Even if they're closed all day it still heats up. Evenings are the worst as the house gets full sun all day (on a hot sunny day).

Before I invest in curtains or window coverings I want to be sure it will actually make a difference. I've thought about a portable AC unit but it would have to be big as the main floor (where all the windows are and the living room) is about 800 sq ft. Central air would likely be about $3k. Aside from AC or curtains not sure what to do. Any suggestions appreciated

btimbit · 03-10-2014, 06:43 PM

Last year I put a light tint on the windows that get a lot of sun, that made a big difference. Was happy with it as I too was about to spend a few thousand on AC but I've been comfortable since.

http://www.shadowtinting.com/service...indow_tint.php

Regulator75 · 03-10-2014, 06:51 PM

Go with the Forest Lawn (tinfoil) special, on all the windows.

Huntingwhale · 03-10-2014, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Regulator75

Go with the Forest Lawn (tinfoil) special, on all the windows.

A sure sign an addict lives in that residence is the classic tin foil window.

Works pretty well.

Slava · 03-10-2014, 07:56 PM

Spend the money on A/C. It's awesome and ignore people who say "you only need it for two weeks a year". Maybe you only *need* it for a few weeks, but there are lots of other times when it's great to have.

prarieboy · 03-10-2014, 08:14 PM

Keep your window coverings closed while the sun is directly coming in.

Run the furnace fan all day. Mixes the cold air from your basement with the warm air upstairs. (Poor man's air conditioning)

The moment the outside temperature drops below your interior temperature crank open every window in the house.

#-3 · 03-10-2014, 08:57 PM

I put Blinds, see through curtains, and dark heavy curtains all on the SW facing window on my old house.

It made a big difference if I kept them closed tight during the day, and opened my windows at night.

If i didn't open the windows at night there was no point in keeping the curtains closed, because there is no point in keeping it cool if its already hot.

rohara66 · 03-10-2014, 09:02 PM

When you go to bed open all the window and get a nice cross breeze going with some fans. When you wake up (before if starts getting sunny/warm out) close all the blinds. Don't use the stove or oven and voila, cool house.

hedge · 03-10-2014, 09:10 PM

wouldn't be without my ac. We spend thousands on our houses, what's a couple more to have a/c

Calgary14 · 03-10-2014, 09:23 PM

Thanks, some good suggestions here I will definitely have to look into. For anyone suggesting A/C - central air or a portable unit?

Ive heard central air can cost thousands but haven't received an official quote.

A portable A/C unit would be much cheaper but not sure if it would work with the windows (they have a crank that opens them) and they don't open vertically like a window A/C unit would fit nicely with (apartment style)

Dion · 03-10-2014, 09:57 PM

Slava · 03-10-2014, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Thanks, some good suggestions here I will definitely have to look into. For anyone suggesting A/C - central air or a portable unit?

Ive heard central air can cost thousands but haven't received an official quote.

A portable A/C unit would be much cheaper but not sure if it would work with the windows (they have a crank that opens them) and they don't open vertically like a window A/C unit would fit nicely with (apartment style)

I have central and I can just say that any house I have in the future will have it as well. I think it's like $3500 depending on your exact setup. It's really not much money when you consider your house is likely $500k.

Dion · 03-10-2014, 10:05 PM

I've heard that the Mexicans down in Arizona would hang wet bed sheets over open windows at night in an effort to keep their homes cool. Air that passes through wet sheets becomes cooler.

Jedi Ninja · 03-10-2014, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Thanks, some good suggestions here I will definitely have to look into. For anyone suggesting A/C - central air or a portable unit?

Ive heard central air can cost thousands but haven't received an official quote.

A portable A/C unit would be much cheaper but not sure if it would work with the windows (they have a crank that opens them) and they don't open vertically like a window A/C unit would fit nicely with (apartment style)

We have a portable A/C unit, but we actually find window fans to be more effective (we usually use 3, 2 blowing in and one out). In the summer we will run the fans overnight, and because Calgary always gets cold at night, the house will stay cool for most of the day. We also switched all of our lighting to LED and CFL, that helped too, as does avoiding using the oven or dryer on hot days. A central A/C unit would be more convenient, but with a little strategy, you can live comfortably without it.

REDVAN · 03-10-2014, 10:42 PM

My father-in-law told me this trick and it works great: get an "industrial" fan, or a shop fan from Canadian tire. Also get a sheet of plywood and 2x4. Cut a hole in plywood and put fan in middle. Suck air out of house and into attic, leaving windows open. BOOM cool house in the summer. I'm amazed at how well it works.

That said, we're building a new house and I'm having AC put in.

Nage Waza · 03-10-2014, 10:43 PM

I also use one of those window fans. It has two fans in it and you can set each individually to blow in either direction. Due to our (Calgary) low humidity, the temperature really drops at night, pretty much as soon as the sun goes down. The fans have little value during the day.

If you spend a few extra bucks you can get a fan with a thermostat that will shut the fans off if it gets too cold.

The downside with the fans is that they are very location specific. It only impacts the single room it is in.

Here is a pimped out version:

http://www.amazon.com/Bionaire-BW230.../dp/B000065DKJ

Jacks · 03-10-2014, 10:43 PM

Portable AC units are great for cooling a small space but not so good for open spaces. I have vaulted ceilings and a good size portable unit doesn't do squat. If you have regular height ceilings and can close off an area that you want cooled then you might be okay.

Nage Waza · 03-10-2014, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDVAN

My father-in-law told me this trick and it works great: get an "industrial" fan, or a shop fan from Canadian tire. Also get a sheet of plywood and 2x4. Cut a hole in plywood and put fan in middle. Suck air out of house and into attic, leaving windows open. BOOM cool house in the summer. I'm amazed at how well it works.

That said, we're building a new house and I'm having AC put in.

That is interesting...I wonder how much better that is over the fans in the windows? I will try that this summer.

Another trick is for your ceiling fans to blow down in the winter and to pull up in the summer.

REDVAN · 03-10-2014, 10:49 PM

Our new home will have vaulted ceilings in the bedroom and upstairs- so I think AC is the way to go- although I have a larger portable unit that might have to do for the first summer until we get settled into the mortgage.

Wormius · 03-10-2014, 11:29 PM

Keep the windows open (screens are a must, as mosquitoes get bad here).
Ceiling fan in the bedroom is great (make sure you vacuum the dust it off if you haven't used it in a while)
Change the duvet to something lighter so you can still pull the blanket over you but not burn up.
Keep your furnace fan on to circulate the cold air from the basement (if you have one) around the house.

That's all I have got.