Daytime Light Reduction Suggestions?

Velvet cutains would be the nicest looking, best working solution. You can just draw them back for window viewing. They also make blackout shades that you can replace the blinds with.

You can buy room darkening cellular shades at Home Depot. Hunter Douglas makes some. Other companies may also make them.


There are slight gaps at the end of the shade. For further light blockage you can use room darkening drapes. Use a dark colored lining fabric to cut down on reflected light. Have the drapes extend well below the windor to cut down on light leaking out the bottom.


There still can be light leaking around the shades and drapes, but it is greatly reduced.


For further light blockage you could put dark paint or fabric around the window opening to cut down on light relection, and similarly use dark materials on the wall.

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You could go to HomeDepot and pick up a sheet (maybe a damged one and get a discount) of 1" (or so) of Tuff-R Insulation and cut out the correct size to fit inside the window area and drop your miniblind to hold it, it will be basically invisable but will block ALL of the light that your normal mini blind lets in. It's cheap and will be pretty much be absolutely dark (depending on your cutting skills ) Also, it is easily removed when not needed, I use this on my West side of my house to reduce the effects of the HOT Summer sun.


Jim

Jim, a better way of reducing the heat from the sun is with a product called Gila Window film. It's like tinting the windows of your house. It has literaly dropped the temp in front of the glass over 10 degrees. When it dries, it's completerly invisible, except for the tint of course. But no visible sign of the tint. They carry many different varities at Lowe's. We now return to the regularly scheduled thread.

I am leaning towards a solution that will place something behind my mini blinds. Initially I was going to use cardboard of some kind, actually a suggestion of my mother in law. But vfrjim took this in a much better direction. Cutting insulation to the right size will not only eliminate the light spill through my mini blinds but it may offer some insulation from the blazing Las Vegas sun too.


So this is the option I will pursue. I have 4 tall windows to to do and think that 1, or 2 sheets of the stuff at the most will do the trick.


Anyone out there have experience with this solution? vfrjim how does it affect the heat transmission into the room?


Thanks all!

You could replace the mini blinds with a room darkening roller shade. I bought a medium weight 84" roller shade for $20 at the Depot. Along with velvet curtains, the sun is completely blocked except for the little that comes around the side.

Has anyone tried tinting their windows? Some window tints can be darkening, especially automotive tints. The addition of a tint to a window with blinds might be the perfect answer.


Here's a link to a site that offers residential and automotive tints:

Gila Window Tinting


These tints are available at Lowes and HD. If anyone has tried this route, I would be most interested in your results. Thanks.


Craig

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I ALSO have tinting on those windows My west side gets W-A-Y too much sun, plus the bonus is that when the windows are tinted, you do not see the reflective coating on the Tuff-R. I have tested the heat being let in with the tuff-r installed with a Laser Thermometer and it reads EQUAL to a fully insulated wall, not bad huh?

Craig, I have used Gila window film extensively throughout my house and love it every summer day. I can't recommend the stuff enough. It's great.