I recently sold my condo in Vancouver and moved to Courtenay BC. I although I had stayed in Courtenay for a few weeks last year, I did not realize how noisey and busy it had become compared to paradise. (Hornby Island) Ironically, Vancouver became considerably quieter with Covid-19. Traffic was down by about 80%. Everything was closed except grocery stores.
My new 4th floor condo in Courtenay overlooks a busy street and faces west, letting the hot evening sun stream into my floor-to-ceiling windows. Not something the home inspector picked up on when she viewed the unit. I investigated some home cooling options and started with ceiling fans which have helped. Then Safe and Sound came to install window film. Visually it looks good, a bit like looking through sun glasses. They used 3 different kinds of film, depending on the sun exposure.
Even with the film it is still too hot without the AC on at the peak of the heat of the day. The temperature on the balcony sometimes hit 40C. The portable AC was a very good investment. I also bought a tilting patio umbrella. It took a while to ship the order as I guess they were sold out. I tracked the temperature on an excel speadsheet (see below) and the inside temperature has been able to be kept around 25C or less while the outside temperature goes up to 40C late in the afternoon. So here are stategies in the order of how much I think it helps:
- portable air conditioner $500
- window film $2500
- tilting patio umbrella $200
- opening windows on the north side of the building during the day,
- ceiling fans x 2 $500
Some of the heat is a result of the heat rising from the other floors in the building. Really the whole building should have air conditioning. Ok I think this project is done!
TheUnRetired.life 
Good for you, Ann! Your persistence pays off. Unfortunately, costly. Major hot around here, too. Egad!
LikeLike
Hi Ann, Good job solving the heat issue. I hope you’ve settled nicely in your new condo.
LikeLike
Sadly you’ve had to throw a lot of resources at a problem you never expected to have, but it seems that you’ve come out the winner.
LikeLike
Hi Ann! Since I’ve missed Zooming with you and the others I’ve wondered about how your condo “cooling” plan was going! It sounds like you’ve taken a lot of steps to help and I’m hoping that gives you the relief you need! ~Kathy
LikeLike
Forty degrees on your balcony in late afternoon! I didn’t know it got so hot in Courtenay. With your fixes, you’ve made the interior bearable, though.
Jude
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never imagined it would be this hot and it has been a cool summer
LikeLike
Creative problem solver has been a label that has been applied to me. However some problems seem to be eluding my creativity!!!
LikeLike
Remember our conversation last week when I said “incredibly creative”?
I am now adding “outstanding problem-solver” to that list. Very impressive!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you’ll be happy with this apartment in the winter! 🙂 Well done on finding a solution so quickly. My parents recently bought a top-floor flat as well. It’s south-facing and with summers getting hotter and hotter, they are now suffering as most homes in Belgium don’t have AC. By the way, interesting to see ads about gun laws and traveling with a gun on your blog…
LikeLike
Great work, Ann, on resolving this issue! Love the spreadsheet. Not even kidding – I love data.
I currently live in a north-facing apartment. It is staying beautifully cool so far in the summer months but I wonder if I’ll be in for a gloomy, shivering winter.
Deb
LikeLike
It’s really getting 🥵 hot
LikeLike