I am renting at the moment, but looking to buy...

 

West facing and it gets really hot afternoons and the a/c cannot handle it... 

 

If I buy a west facing apartment can anything be done to mitigate the afternoon heat? Special glass or curtains?

 

And how bad is the heat in a PH apartment? Can anything be done there?

If you are uncomfortable with heat then choose a property with a more comfortable aspect.

 

you can put lip gloss on the pig but shes still a pig, in otherwords yes you can buy heavy drapes, you can replace the glass for solar reflective or even a cheapo idea and have them all filmed.

 

When you understand how heat is transmitted into the property then you can make choices. Most people think the heat come in through the windows little realizing that the bricks the property was built with absorb an incredible amount of heat and slowly radiate that heat into the rooms all day and all night.

 

So, my advice if you are looking for another pad, is to start with one that has not been built out of bricks.....despite them being the cheapest.

Imagine your condo building is a storage heater because that's exactly what it is, a great big lump of concrete and steel that slowly absorbs heat and then releases it well into the small hours, after the sun has gone down - great in the UK, not so great here. Double glazing, tinting, window shades et al, mostly all a waste of time in a 24 storey condo building.

Get a property that doesnt receive any direct sunlight , with plenty of windows for a breeze , then you wont need to use the aircon

Get a property that faces east. The morning sun is much milder.

 

I once rented a condo facing west and it was like an oven in the afternoon.

 

The curtain doesn't help because the heat goes through the glass. Curtain only blocks the light unless the curtain is outside the window which is impossible.

 

The air-cond must be full-blast to relieve the heat .

 

The summer heat in Thailand is just terrible unlike in European countries.

Edited October 15, 20187 yr by EricTh

After a stay in The Ram I learned that a 'Silver/Aluminium' foil exists.

I spoke to senior maid in my condo, she removed my curtains and had the foil fitted. Very cheap couple of thousand Baht max.

 

john

Thanks to all responders... I posted the question because i would like to face west for the view... and yes, I know it will be hotter than east but want to know if anything can be done to lessen the effect... thanks all. 

FWIW I replaced all my windows and balcony doors with double glazed units and the effect was zero, this was on the 16th floor of a large block of concrete and steel. Heat reflective curtains also had zero effect, the only thing that worked was aircon.

Your only option is to stop the sunlight from directly heating the walls. This can only be done by having something place those West facing walls in the shade.

The Australian solution is for large roof overhangs so direct sunlight does not hit the wall, excellent roof insulation with excellent venting to remove accumulated heat from the attic.

No daytime heat absorption means no nighttime heat radiation.

Tint film (auto) will stop heat through glass. Use semi mirror kind. 

24 minutes ago, The Theory said:

Tint film (auto) will stop heat through glass. Use semi mirror kind. 

It will help reduce the heat but it doesn't stop it, I have sheets of the stuff (fully mirrored) on adjacent patio doors and they still get hot by midday.

Low E Glass prevents radiant heat; Puerto Rican window tinting does not.  Priceless views are priceless...find an efficient AC and enjoy.  Top floor would need more consideration.  Ceiling fans to compliment ac work wonders.  

 

Higher floors cost more and the land office values will be higher, even on relatively old buildings....approximately 3-5% more for every three floors up.  Lower units are often the ones helf by the developer for rentals...very popular with the students and other Thais...and do offer the convenience of a very quick in and out.  But, generally, there is a little better class of people on the upper floors, including more owners....Maintenance fees are often higher on the high floors, but on a studio about 2000 per year higher.

Edited October 16, 20187 yr by moontang

Make sure you have one of the latest A/C Inverters

As the old style A/C suck up the electricty

As my condo faces south west

I enjoy the view too

7 hours ago, jonwilly said:

After a stay in The Ram I learned that a 'Silver/Aluminium' foil exists.

I spoke to senior maid in my condo, she removed my curtains and had the foil fitted. Very cheap couple of thousand Baht max.

 

john

Interesting.....I used to cook chickens in the oven by protecting them with aluminium foil..

12 hours ago, jonwilly said:

After a stay in The Ram I learned that a 'Silver/Aluminium' foil exists.

I spoke to senior maid in my condo, she removed my curtains and had the foil fitted. Very cheap couple of thousand Baht max.

 

john

 

 

Does it really work when places inside? The sun still heats up the glass and the heat still goes in.

 

It will work when placed outside the window.

Edited October 16, 20187 yr by EricTh

In my opinion it does help to lower the temperature, I am sure it reflects back some of the light.

I will suggest that the Folks at the Ram are of the same view.

 

john

12 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

It will help reduce the heat but it doesn't stop it, I have sheets of the stuff (fully mirrored) on adjacent patio doors and they still get hot by midday.

Of course

Glass gets hot since the film is installed on back side of glass. Sunlight still goes thru glass and makes the glass hot, but will not go beyond the mirror film. 

Low E glass doesn't get hot.

1 hour ago, The Theory said:

Of course

Glass gets hot since the film is installed on back side of glass. Sunlight still goes thru glass and makes the glass hot, but will not go beyond the mirror film. 

Light and heat penetration are very different things, I agree the film stops light penetration but that is all.