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Home > Archive > Alternative Power sources > April 2006 > window shading
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| lelson@bigfoot.com 2006-04-19, 12:21 am |
| I'm looking for advice/experiences with shading south windows in a
passive solar house. We will have 18- 7' windows that, according to my
Energy-10 calculations, need to be uncovered when the sun is shining
and covered at other times, in order to have the structure perform to
specs. I'm concerned that this won't happen when we are away unless we
automate the system with something like motorized cellular shades.
These are very expensive (~$700 per window).
Does anyone have experience with automatic systems? Pro's? Cons? Other
options?
TIA
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| nicksanspam@ece.villanova.edu 2006-04-19, 5:21 am |
| <lelson@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>I'm looking for advice/experiences with shading south windows in a
>passive solar house. We will have 18- 7' windows that, according to my
>Energy-10 calculations, need to be uncovered when the sun is shining
>and covered at other times, in order to have the structure perform to specs.
Overhangs can keep the sun out. An insulated wall between the 24-hour
living space and a low-thermal-mass "sunspace" with lots of glazing and
airflow through the wall during the day and no airflow at night can keep
the solar heat in the living space, with little heat loss at night.
Nick
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| lelson@bigfoot.com 2006-04-19, 11:21 am |
| Actually, I meant window shading. I have overhangs. I want to prevent
heat loss at night.
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| Anthony Matonak 2006-04-19, 1:21 pm |
| lelson@bigfoot.com wrote:
> Actually, I meant window shading. I have overhangs. I want to prevent
> heat loss at night.
You could have fixed insulated shutters mounted on the inside,
painted black on the window facing side, with slots, gaps, or
large holes in the top and bottom. Mount them a few inches back
from the window itself and these would behave like solar air
heaters. Add a flap of plastic film, such as dry cleaner garment
bag material, covering the top vents/gaps/holes/slots, stapled
only on the top edge. This would keep them from circulating
cold air at night.
This would work when you are away and it does not require
electronics, motors or the like. When you're at home you'll
need to open and close things as normal.
Anthony
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| > Actually, I meant window shading. I have overhangs.
> I want to prevent heat loss at night.
If it is practical to do so, use insulated shutters to cover outside the
windows. The advantage over internal insulating shades is that the glass is
on the warm side, thus avoiding any problems with condensation.
One commercially available exterior window insulation was called "European
rolling shutters" and could be opened and closed from the inside, and had
both manual and powered versions. Automation would be possible with the
powered version.
CM
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