- \n
- ✓<\/span>Bloquer le soleil AVANT qu’il ne traverse le vitrage<\/li>\n
- ✓<\/span>Peindre le toit avec un rev\u00eatement r\u00e9fl\u00e9chissant<\/li>\n
- ✓<\/span>Choisir une toiture claire lors du remplacement<\/li>\n
- ✓<\/span>Planter des arbres strat\u00e9giques au sud et \u00e0 l’ouest<\/li>\n
- ✓<\/span>Sceller et isoler les combles de l’ext\u00e9rieur vers l’int\u00e9rieur<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Block the Sun With Exterior Shutters or Awnings<\/h2>\n
I used to crank the AC every afternoon until I realized my west-facing windows were basically solar ovens. Exterior roller shutters<\/strong> with insulated aluminum slats stop 80, 90% of solar gain before it hits the glass, versus maybe 30% for interior blinds.<\/p>\n
A typical motorized unit from Home Depot<\/strong> or Lowe’s<\/strong> runs 100, 300 inches wide, 120, 250 inches high. Installed cost: roughly $275, $650 per standard window. I went with a manual folding-arm awning from Wayfair<\/strong> for my patio door, 3 m wide, 2.5 m projection, about $750.<\/p>\n
Light beige fabric, high reflectance. The difference was immediate.<\/p>\n
Hang Vertical Screen Shades for Airflow Plus Shade<\/h2>\n
ZIP-style exterior screens<\/strong> roll down like a drop-down blind IKEA still let you see out and feel breeze. IKEA<\/strong> doesn’t carry these, IKEA Wayfair<\/strong> and Amazon<\/strong> stock motorized units up to roughly 4 m wide by 3 m tall.<\/p>\n
\n80 \u00e0 90 %<\/div>\n80, 90% de gains solaires bloqu\u00e9s par des volets ext\u00e9rieurs en aluminium isol\u00e9, contre 30% pour des stores int\u00e9rieurs<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Expect $550, $1,300 installed per window depending on size and motorization. I mounted one on my kitchen’s south-facing slider. I still get cross-ventilation, IKEA the direct blast at 4 p.m.<\/p>\n
is gone. Worth every dollar if you cook dinner while the sun’s screaming.<\/p>\n
![\"close-up](\"https:\/\/www.journee-mondiale.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/decor-0-5.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nPaint Your Roof With a Reflective Coating<\/h2>\n
My attic used to hit 140\u00b0F. A cool roof coating<\/strong> from Home Depot<\/strong>, brands like Gardner-Gibson<\/strong> or Henry<\/strong>, dropped that to about 95\u00b0F. These white or light-grey elastomeric paints reflect 75%+ of solar energy versus 10, 20% for dark asphalt.<\/p>\n
A 5-gallon bucket covers roughly 250, 400 sq ft with two coats. Material cost: $8, $15 per sq ft DIY, or $22, $44 per sq ft pro-installed. I did my flat garage roof myself on a Saturday.<\/p>\n
Messy. Effective. The bedroom below it finally sleeps cool.<\/p>\n
\n140 \u00b0F \u2192 95 \u00b0F<\/div>\n140\u00b0F dans les combles avant peinture r\u00e9fl\u00e9chissante, 95\u00b0F apr\u00e8s<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Choose Light Roofing When It’s Time to Replace<\/h2>\n
If you’re re-roofing anyway, the upcharge for light-colored shingles<\/strong> or white metal panels<\/strong> is typically 10, 20% on materials, same labor. Home Depot<\/strong> stocks Owens Corning<\/strong> Duration shingles in Harbor Fog<\/strong> and Shasta White<\/strong>. Lowe’s<\/strong> carries Metal Sales<\/strong> white steel in 3-ft widths, custom lengths to 26 ft.<\/p>\n
Full re-roof jobs run $90, $220 per sq ft depending on structure and whether you’re adding insulation. I didn’t re-roof just for cooling, IKEA when I did, I switched from charcoal to Harbor Fog<\/strong>. The attic delta was 12\u00b0F on identical 95\u00b0F days.<\/p>\n
![\"medium](\"https:\/\/www.journee-mondiale.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/decor-1-5.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nPlant Strategic Shade and Use Ground Cover<\/h2>\n
Deciduous trees<\/strong> on the south and west sides block summer sun IKEA drop leaves for winter warmth. A 6, 8 ft Japanese maple<\/strong> or river birch<\/strong> from Home Depot<\/strong> garden center runs $80, $180. Full shade takes 5, 10 years, IKEA partial shade starts helping year two.<\/p>\n
\nBudget total<\/div>\n2 800 $ sur deux \u00e9t\u00e9s, sans changer de thermostat ni installer de climatisation split<\/div>\n<\/div>\nCloser to the house, I laid decomposed granite<\/strong> and flagstone<\/strong> instead of concrete pavers. Light-colored hardscape reflects less heat upward than dark asphalt or bare concrete. Lowe’s<\/strong> sells 0.5 cu ft bags of Sakrete<\/strong> paver sand for $5; I used it to set irregular Home Depot<\/strong> limestone.<\/p>\n
The side yard used to radiate heat like a parking lot. Now it’s walkable at 5 p.m.<\/p>\n
Seal and Insulate the Attic From the Outside In<\/h2>\n
Even with a reflective roof, heat finds gaps. I added rigid foam board<\/strong> to my attic hatch and weatherstripped the frame with 3M<\/strong> adhesive gasket from Amazon<\/strong>, about $12. Then I blew in Greenfiber<\/strong> cellulose from Lowe’s<\/strong> to hit R-60, roughly $15 per sq ft for the blower rental and bags.<\/p>\n
The real outside move: I sealed soffit vents with Cor-A-Vent<\/strong> baffles from Home Depot<\/strong> to maintain airflow while blocking radiant heat bounce-back into the insulation. Attic temperature now peaks 20\u00b0F lower than pre-work. The AC runs maybe 40 minutes less per afternoon.<\/p>\n
![\"atmospheric](\"https:\/\/www.journee-mondiale.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/decor-2-4.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nIf I had to pick one move with the best dollar-per-degree return, I’d start with exterior shading on your worst window. A $750 awning or $400 in DIY shutters beats a $4,000 HVAC upgrade for summer comfort. The roof comes second when you’re ready to climb a ladder.<\/p>\n
Mia Carter writes about small-space living and budget home makeovers. She has restyled three rentals and tests most ideas in her own 45 sqm flat.<\/em><\/p>\n
- ✓<\/span>Peindre le toit avec un rev\u00eatement r\u00e9fl\u00e9chissant<\/li>\n