[tomtom]

Can I pick the collective brains of UKB...?

I am setting up a cannabis farm in my girlfriends attic and it has My office in MrsTT's house is an attic room - with two south east facing velux windows. They have blinds but they are just fabric, and this time of year it gets pretty hot up there. The dark blue blinds act like radiators!
Last year I just stuck silver foil over the windows, and that worked a treat at keeping heat out - but also light...

I was wondering if anyone here has used that silver mirror finish/effect film on windows (cars or houses) and whether its much cop at reflecting most of the heat whilst letting some/enough light through??

[Iesu]

can't you just open them? 

[SA Chris]

Loads of houses in South Africa have them, and they seem to work. No idea on exact SCIENCE regarding actual figures for excluding light and heat though.

[stevej]

can't you just open them? 

Irritatingly sometimes no. The wood frames can swell and stop them opening any more than a tiny bit (and it's still 24° out there anyway...)


Would silvered windows make the room get even more baltic than normal in winter if you reflect away what little radiation there is?

[tomtom]

can't you just open them? 

I'm a big hayfever sufferer..

Summer = House Arrest. 

[Wipey Why]

I was wondering if anyone here has used that silver mirror finish/effect film on windows (cars or houses) and whether its much cop at reflecting most of the heat whilst letting some/enough light through??

I would argue that the amount of heat coming in will be proportional to the amount of light. I tend to find that in the majority of commercial buildings which have had film applied to the windows in order to avoid solar gain are not dark enough to be massively effective. They help a little, but you will still find it is hot

[webbo]

Some the people I visit put tin foil on the windows,they also put it over the plug sockets and things.They usually are trying to stop the voices getting in.

[tomtom]

I was wondering if anyone here has used that silver mirror finish/effect film on windows (cars or houses) and whether its much cop at reflecting most of the heat whilst letting some/enough light through??

I would argue that the amount of heat coming in will be proportional to the amount of light. I tend to find that in the majority of commercial buildings which have had film applied to the windows in order to avoid solar gain are not dark enough to be massively effective. They help a little, but you will still find it is hot

Yeah - though putting my basic physics hat on, if you can get a film that cuts out the heating wavelengths, and leave the visibles to come through then it should work...

[tomtom]

Some the people I visit put tin foil on the windows,they also put it over the plug sockets and things.They usually are trying to stop the voices getting in.

I've been busted. I thought you've promised never to tell anyone Webbo

[sxrxg]

Solar control film is a good after market option. They generally are silver based and will cut out the infra red part of the spectrum while allowing visible light through [light transmission range from 70%-20% and g-value (total solar transmission) from 45%-10%, generally as the light transmission is reduced so is the g-value]. At work we have used 3M solar control films in the past and they can offer good performance however they can look terrible if the installation is not done with care.

Another thing to consider with the window being south facing is the glare - can make reading watching the TV or using a laptop nearly impossible, while some films/glass types can reduce the light transmission slightly they will hardly impact upon the glare (despite what some manufacturers of films/glass will claim). The only option in these situations is the installation of passive solar control such as brise soliel or blinds.

[webbo]

Some the people I visit put tin foil on the windows,they also put it over the plug sockets and things.They usually are trying to stop the voices getting in.

I've been busted. I thought you've promised never to tell anyone Webbo

I didn't.If i'd been talking about you I'd said "I v'e got this mate a doctor like not a real one mind who thinks he's got a girlfriend but he lives with his mum" etc.

[Jaspersharpe]

Yeah - though putting my basic physics hat on

This one?