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Posted by cea on July 13, 2006, 7:36 pm
I was searchng for some silver reflective-type insulated material to
back some outdoor shades. Couldn't find what I needed at Home Depot,
but I turned up some interesting cheap stuff in their paint supplies
dept.
Paper-poly drop cloth: a double-layered material, paper adhered to
thin plastic film. A 9' X 12' package cost $6.47 (US). A heavier weight
'Double-Guard' package, 8' X 12', same price, looks useful for a more
permanent pattern-making material, as it closely resembles heavy
pellon, with the addition of a thin layer of clear plastic wrap adhered
to the back; this looks as if it would hold well when laid out on
fabric, no pins needed. (The patterns which I made from clean newsprint
are rapidly deteriorating, so I won't use newsprint again, unless for
very temporary patterns.)
Other interesting fabrics: painter's canvas dropcloths, neatly
packaged, looking like crisp heavy oatmeal-colored raw silk, or muslin,
nice surface texture, might make rustic indoor curtains, shades, seat
covers, etc. Priced very reasonably.
To get back to the outdoor shades: I hung roll-up bamboo shades in
front of windows which get late-setting western sun, and over the A/Cs.
The goal, reduce sloar heat gain, thus reducing air-conditioning
bills.If you can keep the heat from hitting surfaces, you can reduce
heat build-up, and radiation of heat into home interiors.
I like that I can see through the bamboo slats, and the room temp is
down an easy 12 to 15 degrees. I think further heat reduction possible
if I hang reflective metallic fabric behind the bamboo, but I was
seeking an inexpensive alternative to the costly goods available at
local fabric shops. One attempt led me to a 'Dollar Store', where I
picked up metallic car window sunscreens for $1.00 each. In keeping
with the $ store cheap tradition, the shades are abnormally small, so
I'll have to seam two of them together lengthwise to back the shade,
but the Mad Scientist is willing to experiment if the price is right.
Next stop for interesting off-beat fabrics: the local auto shops.
Think I'll wait till the weather isn't go ungodly hot, though.
Cea
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Posted by Olwyn Mary on July 13, 2006, 8:33 pm
cea wrote:
> To get back to the outdoor shades: I hung roll-up bamboo shades in
> front of windows which get late-setting western sun, and over the A/Cs.
> The goal, reduce sloar heat gain, thus reducing air-conditioning
> bills.If you can keep the heat from hitting surfaces, you can reduce
> heat build-up, and radiation of heat into home interiors.
> I like that I can see through the bamboo slats, and the room temp is
> down an easy 12 to 15 degrees.
When we lived in Tampa, FL and had a screened back porch I used the
roll-up bamboo shades over the screens. Then, I read in a book about
how in India many years ago they used to wet down the shades on the
verandas to keep the room cool, so I started turning the garden hose on
them in a fine mist as soon as the sun came around. As this porch faced
west, but nine months a year we ate three meals a day on it, this worked
a treat, kept the porch cool enough to eat on.
Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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Posted by Doug&Michelle on July 14, 2006, 12:24 am
> When we lived in Tampa, FL and had a screened back porch I used the
> roll-up bamboo shades over the screens. Then, I read in a book about how
> in India many years ago they used to wet down the shades on the verandas
> to keep the room cool, so I started turning the garden hose on them in a
> fine mist as soon as the sun came around. As this porch faced west, but
> nine months a year we ate three meals a day on it, this worked a treat,
> kept the porch cool enough to eat on.
>
> Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.
>
That is excellent! We are going to be using bamboo blinds to block the sun
on our deck which faces west and sometimes the wood is so hot you burn your
feet. I have gotten a burned nose just being on the deck for 10 minutes. I
will remember about wetting the blinds, thanks!
Michelle Giordano
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Posted by Kay Lancaster on July 14, 2006, 5:42 am
> down an easy 12 to 15 degrees. I think further heat reduction possible
> if I hang reflective metallic fabric behind the bamboo, but I was
> seeking an inexpensive alternative to the costly goods available at
Cea: try a "space blanket":
http://www.thespaceshop.com/noname22.html
http://www.nitro-pak.com/product_info.php?products_id=372
Most camping supply stores, sports departments in with the hunting goods,
survivalists shops, etc....
Aluminized mylar, sorta like those shiny balloons.
Kay
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Posted by Val on July 14, 2006, 3:50 pm
>> down an easy 12 to 15 degrees. I think further heat reduction possible
>> if I hang reflective metallic fabric behind the bamboo, but I was
>> seeking an inexpensive alternative to the costly goods available at
You will get better results hanging the reflective stuff on the outside so
the sun hits it before the goes through the shades.
> Cea: try a "space blanket":
I am the space blanket queen! They are also called survival blankets, you
can get them at most anywhere they sell hiking/camping equipment or first
aid supplies. I paid $1.98 each for mine.
All my apartment windows face south and west. It gets like a convection oven
when the hot summer sun hits even though I have double glazed windows. I got
those metal curtain tension rods to fit the south facing windows and two
larger ones to fit the two sliding glass doors that face west. For the
sliding glass doors I just carefully connected the long sides of the
blankets with double sided Scotch tape, then folded the top over to make a
tunnel to slide the tension rod through. I did the same for the smaller
windows but a single blanket was wide enough so I only had to fold over the
top for the tension rod and trim the bottom with scissors for length. When
the sun starts to hit the windows in the morning I just slide them closed.
In the evening I slide them back to the side to open them up. Works great
and I did my whole place for less than $25. They still let enough light come
through so you don't feel like you are living in a cave but really do keep
the heat out.
The gal in the apartment below me came up one day to visit and as soon a she
came in she says, "Wow! do you have AC in here?" Her apartment was a
sweltering 101 degrees, mine was a tolerable 75! We don't have A/C in this
building. Worth every penny and the few hours it took to assemble these heat
shields. In the winter I just slip them off the rods, fold them all up
nicely and slide them into one 2 gallon zip lock bag, put it on my closet
shelf, gather all the tension rods with a zip tie and lean them into the
back corner of my closet all ready for the next summer. This is my third
summer using the same blankets. I may have to break down and replace them
for next year, they are getting a little ratty now but all that camping
stuff goes on sale in August and September so it won't take much to replace
them.
You can also put them on the roller blinds. I helped my son cover the roller
blinds he had in his home in the bedrooms that faced west. We used spray
adhesive and then smoothed the blanket down onto the blind, then trimmed the
edges with scissors. Make sure you put the shiny side to the out side when
the blind is pulled down. (Don't ask how I know to double check this.) Do it
outside if you possibly can, the fumes from that adhesive is wicked stuff
and you need to work with somebody who is patient and you get along with
VERY well. This particular technique is really a two or three person job.
He's marrying the sweet little gal who worked with us. I figure if we all
could still get along, laugh, joke and be nice to each other after that
project they are good for at least 65 years of marriage! <BG>
Val
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