- Had the same “saran wrap” look with the cheap films—total letdown, especially when it started peeling at the corners.
- Tried cellular shades (the double cell kind) in my living room last year. Pricey, yeah, but here’s what I noticed:
- Room temp dropped a few degrees during peak sun. Not earth-shattering, but definitely less stuffy.
- AC didn’t kick on as often, so I’m guessing a small energy savings.
- They actually look pretty sleek—no science project vibes. Just clean lines, kind of modern.
- Downsides:
- The cost is hard to ignore, especially if you’ve got a lot of windows.
- Some brands claim “blackout” but there’s still a bit of light leakage on the edges.
- If you’re renting or just not ready for the investment, I’d say stick with curtains plus a decent liner. Not as effective as cellular, but a lot less painful on the wallet.
- All in all, not just hype—but you’ve gotta weigh if it’s worth the cash for your space.
I put up cellular shades in my bedroom last winter—agreed, not cheap. Here’s what worked for me: measured the window frame really carefully, ordered outside-mount to help with that edge light leak issue. Install was pretty easy, but yeah, they don’t block 100% of light. Still, the room stays cooler now, especially in the afternoons. If you’re on a budget, heavy curtains plus a reflective liner did almost as much for my old apartment, just less sleek looking.
Yeah, I’ve noticed cellular shades help a bit with keeping the heat out, but I’m always wondering if the R-value really makes a huge difference compared to just layering up curtains. Anyone tried those window films that claim to reflect UV? I’ve seen mixed reviews, but they seem way cheaper than replacing shades.
I tried one of those UV-reflecting window films a couple summers back—honestly, it did help a bit with glare and kept the living room from turning into an oven. But I wouldn’t count on it for serious insulation; you’ll still feel the heat if you’re sitting right by the glass. I get what you mean about R-value, though. In my experience, cellular shades with a decent R-value do more for actual temp control than just piling on curtains, especially on south-facing windows. Still, for the price, films aren’t a bad temporary fix. Just make sure you don’t mind the look—they can be a little shiny or dark depending on what you get.
I get the appeal of cellular shades, but honestly, I think their R-value is a bit oversold in real-world use. I swapped mine for exterior solar screens last year—way more effective at blocking heat before it even hits the glass. Plus, you don’t lose your view during the day. The downside is they’re not as subtle-looking and installation’s a bit more involved, but if you want actual temp control, stopping the sun outside works better than anything inside in my experience.
I get what you’re saying about stopping the heat before it even gets inside. I used to be all-in on cellular shades too, mostly because everyone swore by their insulation, but after a couple of brutal Texas summers, I started questioning if they were really pulling their weight. My living room faces west, so you can imagine the afternoon sun just baking that space. Even with the shades down, the temp would still creep up every day.
Last year, I tried a combo approach. First, I installed exterior shade cloth (picked up a roll at the hardware store), just tacked it up outside over the worst windows using some hooks and bungee cords. Not the prettiest thing, but honestly, it cut the heat way more than the shades ever did. I still kept the cellulars for privacy at night, but during the day, the room stayed noticeably cooler. The biggest surprise was how much less the AC kicked on. My electric bill dropped more than I expected.
One thing I’d mention—those exterior screens or shade cloths can be a pain if you have crank-out windows or want to open them a lot. I had to get creative with zip ties and leave extra slack so I could still get some airflow. Also, dust and pollen can build up between the screen and the window if you forget to clean it out every few weeks. Not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing.
If you’re handy, the install isn’t too bad, but it’s definitely more effort than slapping up some inside shades. Still, for actual heat blocking, I’m convinced stopping the sun outside is the way to go. If I ever get around to it, I might try those retractable awnings next... but for now, the shade cloth hack is working better than anything else I’ve tried.
Still, for actual heat blocking, I’m convinced stopping the sun outside is the way to go.
I hear you on that. After years of fighting the sun with every kind of inside shade, I finally bit the bullet and put up exterior solar screens. Step-by-step: measured the windows, ordered custom screens online, and just popped them into the frames. Not exactly rocket science, but it made a world of difference. The living room doesn’t feel like a sauna anymore, and the AC cycles way less. Only downside—cleaning’s a pain, and you lose a bit of view, but I’ll take that over sweating through my shirt every afternoon. If you want quick and dirty, those shade cloths work, but if you’re staying put long-term, exterior screens are worth a look.
I’ll admit exterior solar screens do a solid job, but I’m not totally sold on them for every setup. Tried them at my last place—helped with heat, sure, but the view really bugged me, and cleaning was a hassle, especially with pollen season. Ended up switching to interior cellular shades (the double honeycomb ones). They don’t block as much heat before it hits the glass, but they’re easier to keep clean and you can still see outside when you want. Not perfect, but for folks who care about the view or have HOA restrictions, it’s a decent compromise.
I totally get what you mean about the view—exterior solar screens can make it feel like you’re wearing sunglasses inside, and I’ve had the same issue with pollen caking up on them in the spring. The double honeycomb shades are interesting though; I’ve heard they help with both heat and sound, which is a nice bonus. Have you ever tried combining them with window film? I’m curious if that would give you a little extra heat protection without making cleaning even more annoying.
Also, have you noticed any issues with condensation or moisture getting trapped between the glass and the shades? My neighbor mentioned something about that, but I’m not sure how common it is. Just thinking through all these options makes me wonder if there’s really a “perfect” solution for summer heat… or if it always comes down to trade-offs depending on your priorities.
Honestly, I’m not convinced there’s such a thing as a “perfect” window solution for summer heat. Every option seems to come with its own headache. I tried the double honeycomb shades a couple years back—yeah, they’re decent for insulation, but I actually found the sound benefit pretty negligible unless you’ve got really thick ones. And honestly, unless you’re super diligent about keeping them snug to the frame, hot air still finds its way in.
I get the temptation to layer window film with shades, but that’s where it gets messy. Window film is great for cutting glare and blocking some UV, but it can make cleaning a pain if you ever want to swap things out or if the film starts peeling at the corners (which happened to me after two summers). The combo does help with heat, but it’s not night and day compared to just one or the other—at least in my experience.
Condensation between glass and shades is real, especially if you keep the shades down all day and don’t have much airflow. I’ve noticed little moisture spots on my lower windows when it’s humid out. Not a huge deal for me, but if your windows are older or prone to leaks, it could turn into mold territory fast.
Honestly, after all that experimenting, I ended up biting the bullet and getting cellular blinds with an outside mount and just dealing with cracking them open in the morning and evening. It’s less hassle than cleaning screens or fussing over films peeling off. If I had unlimited cash? New low-e windows would be my pick every time... but that’s not happening until these old ones finally give out.
Bottom line: everything’s a compromise unless you’re ready to spend big or live with a few annoyances here and there.