Help! Boiling to death with skylights

[Boiledtodeath]

Help please mumsnet!

Our skylights are boiling us to death. 💀 We have had to tarp them in preparation for Mondays 32c.

The difference is incredible! But obviously we are now living in a blue lagoon. It’s like being under the sea 😂

Has anyone tried solar film? External highly reflective solar secondary glazing?

Theres change the glass entirely but £££ and then in winter the warming is good.

Any Bright ideas?!?!

Thank you

Out of interest, is everyone with this problem in a south facing room?

We are north facing but with a completely glass roof 🥵
we have a portable air con unit which works well (cost about £600) but I’m following for ideas on how to reduce the heat via the glass - cannot afford to replace it.

My first thought too!

Our neighbours put in a mahoosive sky light and very quickly installed a sail under it inside. Now I see they’ve got a big , looks like cotton sheet, completely covering it. I’m guessing they’ve been roasting inside too.

I'd be looking at ventilation, on two sides so you get through flow. If you don't have opening roof lights, can you open the gable ends? You will not need fans, and the hottest air will collect at the top. Electricity is much more expensive than ventilation,

If it's a room you cook in, then a large, slow fan (not the little ones you normally see) only needs to be at one end.

Ceiling fans and portable aircon units, the units are the size of small fridges but excellent.
The front of our house is south facing with vaulted ceiling so we did this the first year in the house.
My velux are all at the back of the house ( north but the way the house is built still gets loads of sun) have the duel blackout/light blinds with another portable aircon unit.

@PigletJohn

Like this? A big opening window here. I am not sure how such a window opens but I am sure there’s a way.

God we probably need planning permission for that. And that whole wall rebuild. 😱

Honestly I think I’d just invest in a more neutral coloured tarp! As it’s only for a few weeks a year I think something cheap and temporary is the best option.

I think you can get silver reflective fabric which might be thinner but more effective?

It would be cheaper to just install air con in that room.

Just do tinfoil. It sticks to the window with soapy water and will solve the problem for a bit.

How much is an ac?

The AEG comfort 6000 we got this year was £400 ish - can’t remember exact amount.

These are amazing but I think only ship to the EU? suneclipse.nl/en/easily-block-the-heat-out-of-your-house-extensions-with-skylight/

We had solar film installed on our big lantern rooflight and south-facing windows at work, to reduce the greenhouse effect. There were various grades of film we could choose from, and they cut out solar/heat without reducing the light too much. The company we used (I think they were called The Window Film Company - I would happily recommend) did the install as well.

Even if you have aircon installed, it's worth having solar film too, or you are just letting in too much heat.

I have nothing to contribute to the conversation, except to say that it's a beautiful room and very well decorated!

Do you mind telling me how much you paid for it?

Getting it installed (rather than a portable unit) is around £1.5k per room.

This is why I’m glad my garden faces north - still gets sun all day but it doesn’t shine in through the skylights or back wall of glass.
The film does work well though - they used to have it at my old job where we worked in a glass box!

OMG! Yes! This is exactly the kind of thing we need. Plus the PPs suggestion of film. In combo I think may be the answer.

Plus a natural coloured tarp / hessian or something for if we get the mid 30s- 40s. Then it will be attacking this problem with many smaller cheaper solutions combined.

We also have a turret with fixed windows in the part behind the photo. I have been chatting with DP about doing opening windows there as then the heat can funnel out there and hopefully would draw from the cooler parts of the house.

After reading this thread I went down a rabbit hole of heat reflecting film. Apparently it shouldn't be used on double glazing as it can damage it. I may still get some for the velux windows in some of my rooms as the glass is steamed up already.

That’s good to know! Ok no film 😭

We have this problem too but live in southern France. I have had countless trades people in. About half would not even touch it. Our verriere is over the stairwell in a high ceiling room so it makes it particularly tricky to access. Ours need renovation but Velux doesn't make windows big enough for our specific space and I am not keen on spending €15000 mainly to get automatic shutters for new windows that would then let in 45% less light!
I have finally found tradesmen who have quoted for electric powered exterior shutters over 3 contiguous windows for €7000.

Did I mention that your idea of pulling a tarpe over the roof in summer is beginning to sound like an excellent idea?! I think an old 100% wool blanket would be the best solution as it is fireproof.

You might want to read https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/4233954-What-options-against-excessive-heat-in-south-facing-kitchen-Awnings-window-films-blinds

Once the sun has hit the glass and warmed it up, the glass will radiate heat.
That's why there are now new building regulations to limit how much glass newbuilds can have in south facing rooms.

What you want is something on the outside, which prevents the glass from heating up in the first place.
Anything you install internally, be it internal film or internal blinds, will have a palliative effect only, because it won't prevent the glass from heating.

I don't remember the brand, but my experience with window films is that they are a complete waste of money for that very reason.

Depending on how easy it is to access the skylights, it may unfortunately be cheaper to just install aircon. Just beware that planning permission may be needed in certain cases.

@Whataretalkingabout Honestly the tarp has worked absolute wonders! So part of me is thinking this is not a bad general idea for heatwave times. It’s just if this is an anomaly year for heat or continuous. If continuous and heating from spring like we have had then we need a permanent solution. It is just not comfortable and I think the original house being about 5- 10c less than outside vs this side being 5-10+ makes the transition even more unbearable. It’s like you cannot even acclimatise and it’s headache inducing and very tiring.

@ParentOfOne thank you that thread is incredibly useful! Many options there.

Talking of the original house it has made me wonder. It’s actually quite incredible 100 years old. One of the first wave of homes with cavity walls in traditional build. It’s super cool in summer. Actually holds heat very well in winter. Why are these new builds so pants!

We have a similar situation and we were roasting! We did put a huge thick cotton rug from the outside & held it in place with heavy beams. Worked well but made the house dark. So after MUCH research last year we finally got electric blinds. See pic. Works really well. On my south facing bifolds I have reflective blackout screens on the glass and on my skylight it’s non-blackout. This keeps the room at a decent (bearable) temp with sufficient light.

the BEST remedy for heat is to cover up from outside though. But it comes at a compromise of loss of light, view and hassle of getting it done and then having to leave it in place for the summer months.