I need window shades!

GameHat

So, according to Chicago Public Radio I just enjoyed the warmest day since last October.

Beautiful weather.

My problem?

My damn apartment has already heated up like an oven.

Here's the scoop:

I've lived in this apartment for about 2 years now. I like it - but! I'm on the seventh floor of a seven-story building. All my windows face west. It's a concrete building, and as far as I can tell it focuses all heat into my unit.

I spent all last summer running my AC (a window unit, and fairly undersized) full out. I considered it to be doing pretty well if my thermostat read under 80 F.

It's early April, and I've already turned the AC on. This troubles me.

Anyone have some advice on good window tinting for an apartment? Or general cooling tips in general?

matt has a problem

Heavy curtains. A double rod system works, it's what I use. A set of lighter color curtains on the inside rod, closest to the window, that I can close but will still let light in. Then a set of heavier, darker curtains (mine are brown, match the couches I have) on the outside rod, that I can leave closed during the day when I'm at work, or just to keep out light. You live in Schaumburg, so you can probably see the Ikea store there just by stepping outside. I think I paid about $80 total for both sets of curtains and the rods/wall anchors at that Ikea (I'm in Roger's Park).

Also, as crazy as it sounds, leave your windows open during the day. Closing up the apartment means the air inside doesn't circulate, just like an oven. If the windows are open, the inside will never be much hotter than the outside. This won't do much when it's 95 out of course, but when it's in the 60s like it was today, you'll stay plenty cool. Buy a box fan and stick it in the window if you don't get much breeze. I only needed to use my window AC regularly last year for about a month, late July/early August, just at night while I was home to keep cool. During the day two fans kept air moving enough for it to be comfortable. Of course, last summer wasn't terribly hot.

There's also the old "paper your windows with aluminum foil" trick, which reflects all light back out. But then your windows are covered with aluminum foil.

GameHat

I have the standard cheapo Venetian Blinds -

I keep my windows open during the night, but in the afternoon (as the sun sets) it just beats down onto my apartment, slowly roasting me.