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We have a glass porch (10ft x 20ft) with glass walls and glass roof, connects to the main building through a door. What is the way to decrease the heat inside the room?

Similar to that:

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We can cover the roof with any material, decreasing light is not a problem. Will installing IR-reflective film be enough, or we should put a sail-type light tarp on the ceiling inside / roof outside?

Location: Southern California, US

aaaaa says reinstate Monica
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  • Will IR reflective film be enough? Only you can decide that... Will it help? Yes. The best bet is to cover it on the outside, but that creates a maintenance issue and defeats the purpose. Do you have windows in that atrium you can open? – FreeMan May 25 '21 at 17:38
  • @FreeMan yes there are some windows, and a "curtain" on wire on the inside of the roof. I plan to install fans to help with airflow. – aaaaa says reinstate Monica May 25 '21 at 17:42
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    Anything _inside_ the glass still allows for thermal gain _through_ the glass. You won't have direct sunlight beating on the floor, but the area between the glass and curtain will get hot and the heat will spill out. Something on the _outside_ will prevent the thermal gain in the first place and be much more efficient. Plant trees to provide shade to the atrium. – FreeMan May 25 '21 at 17:46
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    Ventilation would also help if it gets warmer in the porch than outdoors. – user3757614 May 25 '21 at 17:47
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    The best solution is a matter of opinion. It involves usage, cost, skill set, etc. You'll need to ask a more specific question. BTW, Monicagate is long over with. I doubt she even wants to come back. Let's move on already. – isherwood May 25 '21 at 18:09
  • Imagine you do to look out the glass roof sometimes, when you are not cooking inside. Would look into something like retractable awning to go over roof. – crip659 May 25 '21 at 18:52
  • outside treatments would be more effective. The army hangs camo net over sleeping tents to breakup the sun hitting the tent. It can drop the temp inside 20F or more. I doubt you want camo net, but there's more attractive ways to accomplish the same benefits. – dandavis May 25 '21 at 22:35

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You can call one of the tinting places in your area and ask them to put up some ceramic film that will reflect up to 95% of heat. That's what they use on cars now days and it works but kind of pricey. What it does, is blocking UV and IR from heating up your floor and furniture and unlike the regular tint/film, it will keep those window (glass) cool as well, preventing from radiant heat from seeping through.

IgorK
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  • pretty much all window glass blocks UV (which carries little heat), did you mean IR? – dandavis May 25 '21 at 22:33
  • Yes, IR as well as UV. Older homes/windows don't have any coating that will protect from nether UV nor IR. – IgorK May 26 '21 at 15:34
  • I'll suggest that such film might be applied to the _underside_ of the glass roof panels. It'll last much longer than an exterior application. – DavidRecallsMonica May 26 '21 at 16:46
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Any of the following will help. You can do one of them or all of them:

  • Tint and/or reflective coating on the glass.
  • A light-colored fabric awning above the roof, attached to it, that rolls up electrically to the apex of the glass roof and unrolls, perhaps along tracks, to completely cover it or maybe even to extend further out over the lawn and shade the side windows too.
  • Greenhouse-style vents at the apex of the roof, with fan to assist, pulling hot air up and out through the roof and hopefully cooler air in from entry vents near the floor
  • Air conditioning, for example install a mini split here.
jay613
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