Reddit reviews Gila Heat Control Platinum Adhesive Residential DIY Window Film Sun Blocking Glare Reduction 3ft x 15ft (36in x 180in)

If you have big windows, buy some window film. I bought this and applied it to all my windows/sliding doors this spring. The downside is that it's a somewhat mirror finish.

Last year during the July when it was over 100 like every day, my electricity bill was about $200. This year, after applying that, the highest my bill ever got was $124. Also, make sure your AC is running efficiently. I had a tune up, and the only thing that was wrong was the fins in my AC unit were a little bit clogged. Blew it out with a hose (from the inside towards the outside. You'll need to take off the fan to do this).

You probably don't want blackout curtains, that will absorb all the incident sun light and radiate heat indoors. You want something reflective to reflect the incoming sunlight back out the window. Something like this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KKM8EG/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00CST53LW&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0BFHK527AAVRR79DTKMD

or a simple white solar shade could be helpful.

When I was a student, I used to live in a downstairs room that was always freezing (unlike the rest of the house). I ended up putting some temporary window sheets up to fake double-glazing (http://www.amazon.com/Gila-LES361-Control-Residential-Platinum/dp/B000KKM8EG Like that, your local DIY store would likely have some and I've seen people DIY it with household stuff like clingfilm).

The other thing to do is make sure all the drafts are sealed up - fill in any gaps around the window frame with some caulk or similar, and if you can change the curtains, opt for something much heavier (like a velvet or heavy-lined) to act as a draft excluder - I had these ugly red velvet curtains in that house that I basically kept closed all winter.

http://www.selleys.com/home-improvement/living-room-renovation/filling-gaps-and-prevent-draughts/

P.S. There's some cute draft excluders on etsy for along windowsils and bottoms of doors: https://www.etsy.com/listing/218215925/chevron-door-stopper-draft-dodger

If your apartment gets full, direct sun, get some thermal curtains and reflective window film. Gila puts out a window film kit that works well and can be easily removed when you need to move. You can find it at Lowes and Home Depot. If you get the film, be sure you get the Application Kit for it too.

I had this same issue in my old apartment. The AC would run full tilt, without stopping, and I'd be lucky to see temps below 85F in the summer. I was on the top floor and got full afternoon sun. The curtains and film helped drop the temp a few degrees.

This is the one I got: Gila Heat Control Platinum Adhesive Residential DIY Window Film Sun Blocking Glare Reduction 3ft x 15ft (36in x 180in) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KKM8EG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_H1z7CbH1M0RRW

They are very much removable and definitely suitable for renters. The first window you do will be difficult, but you'll eventually get the hang of it.

You could also try applying some reflective film like this on your windows, particularly any that face south.

I think windows (for the most part) block UV rays and those are what yellow/fade things.

I know you can get uv window film for added protection if you want.

Curtains suck. [This](Gila LES361 Heat Control Residential Window Film, Platinum, 36-Inch by 15-Feet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KKM8EG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_CazAxbCC8GFT1) is what I used. My front window is my home office, it faces East and receives direct morning sunlight with no other houses in the way to block any of the light. This tint easily keeps it 15-20 degrees cooler during the summer, it's amazing.

http://www.amazon.com/Gila-LES361-Control-Residential-Platinum/dp/B000KKM8EG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1406364384&sr=8-4&keywords=Window+tint

Just installed this at my dad's new office. I can't speak to the day version but this has a shiny reflective feeling to it that didn't let me look in. In the middle of application I walked outside on a bright 90* Fahrenheit day and looked at the window my dad was working on. You could easily see him quite clearly in the section that did not have tint. The other half of the window did have the film and just reflected my view so I would see clouds and the sky BUT I saw the light fixture in the office. I did NOT see him. Not even a shadowy figure. Just a head shaped object(that from my angle looked like clouds and the blue sky) covered up a portion of the light fixture. Any window film should be a great help and I doubt you'll have a bad experience with any window film unless you get a transparent one. I say go for the type of tint that you would like to have in that location. Black? Slight blue or green tinge to it? Reflective like a mirror? I'm sure you've seen the different styles in cars. Hell, some are even red! There are two ratings usually given to window film. Heat index and light index. I'm guessing you want the one that does not allow much light to enter or one with a reflective material which I personally believe is the best option for a house. Black tint works better for a car in my personal opinion.

Thank you for this write-up.

This is the Gila film that I installed on my window. I'm not sure how that compares to the titanium, but I may look into upgrading to the titanium film if the difference is dramatic enough. I'm assuming this film is safe for my patio door?

I'll definitely look into thermal curtains. I've thought about doing something like this, essentially trying to keep the heat trapped in the area between my curtains and the door or putting something in the space my patio door sits to try to insulate that area better.

Unfortunately my AC unit is virtually new... I just had it installed less than two years ago. I'm curious what the seasonal efficiency rating is... I do know that he made some adjustments to what I previously had to account for the fact that I'm on the third floor and my unit gets a lot of sun exposure.

I'll have to look into an evaporative cooler. My place is pretty small, so it doesn't take much to cool it. If it weren't for the fact that I lived on the third floor and my unit baked like an oven during the hottest days of the summer, my power bill during the summer would be negligible because it would take so little to cool it. If I could put one of those units in the room at night for sleeping that may be worth it.

Thanks again for this write-up. It gives me a lot of ideas to look into.

Those windows may be old enough not to have a coating at all. I'd suggest applying some heat control window film to the inside of the glass, which will reflect both UV and infrared light, as well as a portion of the visible light to reduce glare. Gila Platinum is a great option, they also have it in a non-adhesive peel-and-stick version, though it's harder to install.

Check if they truly are single-pane by holding up your phone's flashlight or other bright point of light and seeing how many reflections appear in the window. If it looks like a mirror it's a single-pane, if you see two reflections it's double-pane. If it's a single-pane window it is definitely worth replacing with a good double-pane window. If it's already double-pane then it probably isn't worth replacing unless it has a metal frame, just use window film and try to seal up any air leaks.

Adhesive/non-Adhesive Tinted Window Film, blocks UV rays and solar heat.

Available in varying opacity, patterns and mirror finishes.

example:
http://www.amazon.com/Gila-LES361-Control-Residential-Platinum/dp/B000KKM8EG/ref=pd_sim_60_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=51OQvi0orCL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=11YTSPSK0ES0VCFF9NV6

Your CPU will generally just downclock if it is getting too hot, but that's only if it's reaching over 90 C. I can't imagine it's very pleasant having the PC heat up a 40 C room even more.

Is there a window on the west facing side? I've heard that installing heat-reflecting window film can really help and doesn't cost much. They have different tints so you can still let light through or mirror coat, etc.

Idk if the term is different in Aus but here's the brand I see sold in the US: https://www.amazon.com.au/Gila-LES361-Control-Residential-Platinum/dp/B000KKM8EG/

Consider something like this too: https://smile.amazon.com/Gila-LES361-Control-Residential-Platinum/dp/B000KKM8EG/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t

Made a huge diff in here.