Question: Good evening, Robert. I’m hoping you can help with this issue, I don’t recall if you’ve covered it previously so if you have, please forgive the repeat question and would you please revisit the solution?
The heat that enters the south side of my home is unbearable and I don’t want to go one more hot season this way. I know we are winding down this year for the heat, but I think now is the time to find a solution, so we can be ahead of the game for next year.
We have no trees and no safe options to plant any on that side, due to the proximity they’d need to be, and underground lines. The south side is the front of our home, so aesthetics are important and we cannot add a covered porch, or something of that sort.
We are in an HOA and they are pretty strict on changes to the front of the home.
With all of that said, what, if anything, can we do to minimize the heat coming in without closing blinds all day and having it like a dungeon inside (which is what we’ve had to do)? Is there a solution?
— Jackie M.
Answer: Jackie, yes there are a few things you can do. Let’s first make sure that you are in a home with quality UV-rated windows. If your windows are newer and rated well, the next step I’d take that would have zero impact visually, yet be very effective, is looking into glass companies that offer clear “tint” with high UV/heat reduction.
They do this to vehicle front windows now, where they install a clear film to the window that is not detectable to the eye, yet it reduces the heat that penetrates, but a large percentage. Many companies offer this now, and it is a great thing to do. It’s what I recommend given your situation where you cannot change the exterior and don’t want to darken your home. Best of luck.
Robert Lamoureux has more than 40 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at [email protected].
