this post was submitted on 21 Nov 2023
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Anyone know if this plan will work, or if I'm wasting my time? My rectangle house has a large west facing wall. Lots of windows and only single glaze. No easement on the roof (freaking 2000's build!). Last summer I taped some foil to the windows and it helped a fair but, but the rattling in the wind when the change came through was insane. Wondering if I could go buy some narrow shade sails from Bunnings that have some eyelets, a couple of ocki straps and hook them up the gutter and peg the other end into the ground. Is it worth the money and effort? or am I going to see bugger all difference?
If you'll be there for a few years you might want to consider a green wall for that side of the house. Best approach is to build a structure off the wall to train the plant, but you can also just let something like a boston ivy grow and you get the benefit of shady leaves (e.g. transpiration/cooling) during summer, and they lose their leaves over winter so you'll get direct sun again. I experimented on the side of an old house and had temps more than 10deg lower behind the leaves/on the wall than the ambient 35deg. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/oct/20/dont-bother-with-living-wall-plant-ivy
I realise this won't help the window issue. The shade cloth will work but I think you'll want something more tensionable than ocky straps.. a big wind could have them whipping round. Edit: see other posts about not attaching to the guttering.
You might also want to look at planting something deciduous to shade the window during summer too.
I loved the idea of the boston ivy, but was deterred by the reports that they are just rat highways (we already have a significant rodent issue in winter). I toyed with some trees or something, but I've already dont that along the back and eastern fences so the west is the only way I can still see the horizon.