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Even then major loss of population seems to have occurred in the southwest at various times possibly connected to climate and droughts. Even with newer technolo

Even then major loss of population seems to have occurred in the southwest at various times possibly connected to climate and droughts. Even with newer technology I suspect many houses built in Phoenix are dependent on AC, rather than being designed to have AC as a supplement. A number of years ago we had an HVAC issue at work on a sunny week. It was shocking how much harder it was to focus and work in the afternoon as the air got stuffy and hot. Our office had some options for airflow, but not many. I've been meaning to look into what ti would take to put some tints on the windows to reduce the heat in the summer.

blacksmith_tb 3y ago
Any window covering really needs to go on the outside (anything on the inside is too late, the energy is already heating up your room), so I'd recommend sunblocking fabric roller shades (Coolaroo is a popular Australian manufacturer, I have one, it's worked well for me on a west-facing deck).
- dendrite9 3y ago
  Good point. Fortunately we're in a 2 story building so access isn't difficult. I think I might have a harder time selling the others on shades for now. At home I'm trying to grow some vines to shade some of the south facing windows but the real need is better attic insulation.
- gdubs 3y ago
  Not entirely the case. When the sun passes through and starts beaming into objects in your room, the floor, etc, those objects then radiate that heat throughout the day.
  - blacksmith_tb 3y ago
    Yes, that's what I was suggesting, though even adding some kind of film (or especially shades and curtains) on the inside will potentially allow for more heating to occur than blocking or reflect the sunlight outside the structure.
gdubs 3y ago
3M makes a really good set of films to reduce both glare and solar gain — we had them put on some very large windows and it's definitely a difference. You have to go through a 3M contractor which is the only annoying aspect (although it's not a job I would have enjoyed doing so having a pro do it worked out in our case.)

blacksmith_tb 3y ago

Any window covering really needs to go on the outside (anything on the inside is too late, the energy is already heating up your room), so I'd recommend sunblocking fabric roller shades (Coolaroo is a popular Australian manufacturer, I have one, it's worked well for me on a west-facing deck).

dendrite9 3y ago
Good point. Fortunately we're in a 2 story building so access isn't difficult. I think I might have a harder time selling the others on shades for now. At home I'm trying to grow some vines to shade some of the south facing windows but the real need is better attic insulation.
gdubs 3y ago
Not entirely the case. When the sun passes through and starts beaming into objects in your room, the floor, etc, those objects then radiate that heat throughout the day.
- blacksmith_tb 3y ago
  Yes, that's what I was suggesting, though even adding some kind of film (or especially shades and curtains) on the inside will potentially allow for more heating to occur than blocking or reflect the sunlight outside the structure.

gdubs 3y ago

3M makes a really good set of films to reduce both glare and solar gain — we had them put on some very large windows and it's definitely a difference. You have to go through a 3M contractor which is the only annoying aspect (although it's not a job I would have enjoyed doing so having a pro do it worked out in our case.)