how to stop overheating in west facing top floor flat

[ajrobb]

I am looking at buying a top-floor studio flat. I am worried it will be very hot in the summer as it is west facing. It is in a listed Regency building and has 3 sash windows. I cannot change the façade, so exterior blinds are not an option. I am thinking of installing secondary glazing (the interior is not listed).

Is there some way I can limit the summer heat coming in through these windows but still benefit from winter warmth?

I've seen a couple of options:

• solar film - lose out on winter warmth
  solar blinds

 

[Mw Roofline]

How hard is it to change the single panes of glass? You could swap to SGG Cool-lite.

 

[ajrobb]

How hard is it to change the single panes of glass? You could swap to SGG Cool-lite.

It might require changing 3mm Regency glass to 4mm and enlarge the sash weights. I'm not even sure that I'd be allowed float glass. Probably similar in effect to solar film and better than solar blinds. It is much easier to add a bit more heat in the winter than it is to get rid of heat in the summer.

 

[garyo]

I used to live in a similar flat - large single glazed sash window, high ceilings. Freezing in the winter, baking in the summer.

I was renting at the time and didn't really care enough to do much about it, but I imagine some blinds would have limited the greenhouse effect to some extent. Depends if you're happy to spoil your view somewhat, though.

Gary

 

[joe-90]

Open the window when it's hot.