How to add protection to outdoor roller blinds?

[Vitriolum]

Hi  

I was asking advice what would you recommend, we have got roller blinds on the west part of the house that still gets sun and heat, the blinds are not bad when it isn't too warm and I believe the material still lets some air through which is not bad if the nights are cooler. However for the hotter days I thought if for example shed insulation roll could be painted and clipped on to it during daytime. Using heat reflective paint and with this material over the blind it would make it more block-out as well. Would shed insulation roll be the best solution or would something else work better?  also which heat reflective paint would you suggest for this purpose? 

Kindly, 

Tina 

[JacobZ]

Hi Tina (@Vitriolum),

Shed insulation roll can reflect a lot of radiant heat, but attaching it directly to the blinds would likely trap warm air between the layers and reduce its effectiveness. Painting the foil surface would also lessen its reflective properties.

A better approach might be to use an additional external shade cloth with a high percentage of UV block that sits slightly away from the blinds, creating an air gap. This will help block heat before it reaches the blinds, and the air gap will allow air to circulate, preventing that heat from permeating the blinds. 

If you have some photos of the space, this might help us recommend a method of attaching it that would allow for this air gap.

Allow me to tag @Dave-1 and @AlanM52 to see if they have any other ideas.

Jacob

[AlanM52]

Hi @Vitriolum,

I often do the temporary shade cloth thing and one example is covering the garden pond on really hot sunny days to keep the water cooler and reduce algae growth. As @JacobZ mentioned the air gap is important and one example of that is a flysheet over a camping tent.
With that said can you post photos and meanwhile I am putting something together that will use dressed pine, corner brace brackets, stapler gun or timber fasteners and angles brackets plus fixing hardware.

Cheers

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @Vitriolum 

I like the idea of more air gaps that @JacobZ and @AlanM52  have both suggested, I have an airgap between my metal shutters and the glass window. Then there is another gap between the glass and the lightish curtain. With the three materials, even tho two are not great it does remarkably keep the room cool during the heat of the day. 

Here is another way I have kept a room cool, the room is natuarlly cool but after 12pm it would heat up if I did not screen the window of the Libary downstairs.

Recycled CDs used as window curtain 

This really works well, I have another versian for my foyer. It creates an air gap between the glass and the reflective surface of the CD's. I checked after installing them and they work well. Compared to a sheet of white paper stuck to the window, the cd's are about the same or a little better.

I would take my thoughts to screening outside the window. Either professional shutters or an awning that you install. Or trees, deciduious are even better. I have liquid ambers that I prune to keep in check that work well for me.

Dave

[Vitriolum]

Hi @JacobZ @Dave-1 and @AlanM52, 

thank you all for your suggestions and apologies for the delay,

I attached photos as advised to show more clearly what the area looks like. that wall only has one smaller (bathroom) window actually but we are aiming to keep the building passively cool as possible and this is still is on the west side. We do have a big tree as well and the window I mentioned has honey comb blinds and EPS board during hot days.

I can understand the logic with creating an air gap or doubling up the shade clothes but if there was a way to create more of a thermal mass to cut down the heat? that would be nice, summer times the hot winds don't seem to achieve much in terms of cooling if the idea is to ensure ventilation. Hence my suggestion if something could clip on and off as needed so to make use of the more cooler breeze as well. 

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @Vitriolum 

If you add thermal mass to slow transfer of heat, its still going to shed the heat during the evening... So I dont know if that type of deal would work so well. Looking at your shade cloth screens I am thinking of a mister between the wall and the shadecloth spraying the shadecloth ish. The evaporitive effect would work well. Kind of like the Indian styled cooling walls with terracotta pipes and water. Water passes over/through something abd evaporation happens which causes the area to cool.

You have in effect an air gap now between the screen and the wall. Adding cooling to it via misting would be the easiest first step.

Dave

[EricL]

Hello @Vitriolum 

I think @Dave-1's suggestion is spot on. I suggest using Nylex 24m Premium Misting System Kit in combination with Pope 300kPa Pressure Reducer which will prevent damaging the misting system. The combination of the mist and getting your roller blinds wet will create a traditional cooling effect. As the wind passes through the wet weave of the roller blinds it will cool the wind down. 

Eric

[AlanM52]

CC: @Vitriolum, @Dave-1 , @JacobZ 

Misting poles-

Another take on @Dave-1's misting suggestion.

  

Cabled tied to electrical conduit.  

Misting systems don't use much water, the tap needs to turned down low and it takes some fiddling to get the right flow so I use the Holman 12mm Twist Flow Hose Fitting Connector,

  

Located in each line near the misters which saves trips back to the tap to give it another tweak.

In your case I am thinking to also use a soaker hose on the outside of the blinds.

I have shade mesh on the sunny side of our freestanding Mimosa gazebo.

To 'soft anchor' the screen I use short bungee cords hooked into tent pegs hammered into the ground just below the surface so they are not a tripping hazard. You (@Vitriolum) could do the same thing which gets rid of the rocks/bricks/pavers and looks tidy/safer.

Note: The twin wall roofing is disintegrating and it is not possible replace with the same because the bottom length of the bottom sheets are way beyond the standard width which is about about 850mm so I (like many others) will have to do regular poly roof on a timber frame. When I have completed the job I will post as a workshop project.

I am always looking for excuses to add more Smart Home technology outside the house so I would design/build a Amazon Alexa smart controller (also Google compatible) that would monitor the morning temp (say early morning on a hot day) and via a wi-fi temperature sensor and Alexa Routines the system would turn on a wi-fi switch to activate the irrigation solenoid connected to that mister. Sorry... I will go away now.

Cheers

Cheers