Shade the glass from the outside if you can. The Australian Government's Your Home guide says stopping the sun hitting a window has a much bigger effect than anything you do inside, and recommends adjustable external shading like external blinds for east and west windows. Outdoor blinds and roller shutters do that job best. Inside, blockout blinds, plantation shutters and S-Fold curtains still cut glare and make rooms more comfortable.
When the afternoon sun is pouring through a west-facing window, the room can feel like an oven. Here's what actually helps.
Outside beats inside
The Australian Government's Your Home guide is clear on this. Unshaded glass is often the biggest way heat gets into a home, and stopping the sun from hitting the window in the first place has a much bigger effect than anything you do inside. Internal blinds help, but by the time the sun has reached the glass, some of that heat is already in the room.
East and west windows are the hardest
Eaves do a good job of shading north-facing windows in the middle of the day. But morning and afternoon sun comes in low, under the eaves, straight onto east and west windows. Your Home suggests adjustable external shading, like external blinds, as the best fix for those windows.
Outside options
- Zip-Screen outdoor blinds. Pull them down when the sun is on that side of the house and roll them up when it moves on. Mesh fabrics keep some of the view and let air through.
- Roller shutters. Close the window right up for maximum shade, plus security and blockout.
- Aluminium shutters and privacy screens. Great for verandahs and patios that get the afternoon sun.
Inside options
- Blockout roller blinds stop direct sun and glare reaching the room.
- Plantation shutters let you angle the louvres to block the sun but keep some light.
- S-Fold curtains soften glare, and room-darkening fabrics block more.
Let the breeze do some work too
In Townsville, airflow matters as much as shade. Once the sun is off the house, opening up and letting the breeze through helps the house cool down. Security screens mean you can leave windows and doors open while you do it.
Where to start
Start with the windows that cop the afternoon sun. Book a free measure and we'll look at which side of the house is heating up and suggest the best fix.
Common questions
Do outdoor blinds reduce heat?
Yes. Shading the glass from outside stops the sun's heat before it reaches the window, which the Australian Government's Your Home guide says has a much bigger effect than shading from inside.
Which windows should I shade first?
West-facing windows that cop the afternoon sun, then east-facing windows. The low morning and afternoon sun is the hardest to keep out with eaves alone.
Do internal blinds help with heat at all?
They help with glare and comfort, and blockout fabrics stop direct sun reaching the room. But once the sun has hit the glass, some of the heat is already inside, so outside shading works better.
GNB Shade & Security Specialists (Garry Neven Blinds) is a family-owned business in Garbutt, Townsville, with more than 30 years in security screens, plantation shutters, blinds, roller shutters and outdoor blinds. We're a licensed Invisi-Gard dealer, everything we sell is made in Australia, and we measure, build and install to order. Free measure and quote on 07 4728 9554.
