Keeping the Heat Out
by Andrea
(Pennsylvania, USA)
My husband and I purchased a home which was built in 1922.
It is along the Delaware River in Pennsylvania; the homes in our neighborhood were originally built as summer homes for residents to escape the city heat of Philadelphia.
Consequently, there is no insulation in the house (nor any closets!).
The front of our house faces West, and there are no trees in the front yard to shade it.
Fortunately, the front porch protects the living room from the summer sun’s heat; however, the master bedroom gets the full force of the summer sun.
Additionally, reflection off of the roof comes right into our triple-dormer windows.
Lastly, the lack of insulation allows our central air to leave the house quickly.
The temperature in the master bedroom used to reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
We installed home window tinting in the front dormer windows- they not only blocked the summer sun, but also the reflected heat from the roof!
After the installation of a window air conditioning unit in a side window, we have been able to lower our average bedroom temperature by over 40 degrees- not exactly comfortable, but bearable, and a GREAT improvement!
I credit the home window tint more than the AC. Keeping the heat out in the first place is the biggest battle!
