Post #4172590

Finished some heat wave prep this evening. I use a bunch of slightly insulated Mylar coated "camping" or car window protection mats. The sheets are exactly the right size for the balcony doors. There, I used 3m double sided tape to tape up a "curtain rail" on the outside of the window frame. Then I use clothespins to attach the sheets at the top. The straps hanging past the bottom of the window get shut in the window frame and hold the whole thing sturdy. Not recommended for windy days - but heat waves are rarely windy (and the worst case scenario is a 6 € sheet gets ripped). On the bigger French balcony windows, I hang them horizontally. I use a piece of fabric to add strength and throw some Paracord through the balcony supports above to pull the sheet/fabric curtain up. It's all attached with clothespins too. The balcony rail has one sheet woven through it. That keeps it more stable than just going around the bars at the end. It's made for a windshield so it just elastics to itself on the inside. Nothing is heavy enough to cause damage if it manages to fall from a second story window and it makes a HUGE difference in the indoor temperature. I hear doing this from the inside up next to the glass can cause cracked glass, so if you have to mount Mylar inside make sure you have gaps between the glass and the reflective surface. It's better for heat management to have it outside anyway though - moves the hottest surface further from the inside air.