Affordable way of blacking out skylights while they are open

Galileo_Figaro

The room I sleep in has two skylights and gets unbearably hot in the summer. They have blackout blinds, but they are fitted to the windows, so are useless when the windows are open. So at the moment it either stays very hot at night (often 30 degrees plus), or I can cool it by leaving the windows open but then the lights wakes me too early. I struggle with sleep and this obviously doesn't help.

So, I need to find a way to black out the windows while they (or one of them at least) are open. 

Does anyone have any solutions/experience/ideas please?

Doozergirl

Portable air con unit? 

Better loft insulation 😬

theonlywayisup

Sleep mask?

casper_gutman

If light is fully blocked out, then so is airflow. I don't think you can really have one without the other.

ChasingtheWelshdream

Hem a couple of fabric panels top and bottom to create a heading, then thread curtain wire through and fix top/bottom outside of the skylight - not the skylight frame itself. You can the draw them across the skylight.

However, this would only work if the skylight is only opened slightly, rather than fully pivoted.

Also it won’t work well for thick fabric or blackout lining so won’t exclude a huge amount of light.

[Deleted User]

Check out some of the neat fit blinds, they actually fit via small tabs being pushed into the rubber trim of the UPVC window.
I have them in my house and it would be the exact thing you're looking for - no drilling or screwing involved.

Blinds2go and Blinds4U are the places - double check that though because i can't remember their exact names, there are actually 3 different companies doing them.

Look specifically for: honeycomb aluminium thermal blackout blinds ...... that is how you will see the specific blind marketed, all 5 words there, not individual words - with me ?

I have bought these, over the past few years, and are excellent quality and equally good value for money.

silvercar

Any blind will be pushed out by the window, unless yours are hinged at the end and open  Outwards.

easiest solution is an eye mask. Otherwise you will have to fashion something that can balloon around the open window and attaches to the four sides of the frame.

Forwandert

I would try eye mask before everything else, it's the cheapest fix. I never wore one upto a couple of years ago and won't be without one now. 

Galileo_Figaro

Doozergirl said:

Portable air con unit? 

Better loft insulation 😬

Yes, long term I think insulation and ventilation are the way to go. But pricey!

Galileo_Figaro

[Deleted User] said:

Check out some of the neat fit blinds, they actually fit via small tabs being pushed into the rubber trim of the UPVC window.
I have them in my house and it would be the exact thing you're looking for - no drilling or screwing involved.

Blinds2go and Blinds4U are the places - double check that though because i can't remember their exact names, there are actually 3 different companies doing them.

Look specifically for: honeycomb aluminium thermal blackout blinds ...... that is how you will see the specific blind marketed, all 5 words there, not individual words - with me ?

I have bought these, over the past few years, and are excellent quality and equally good value for money.

Wonderful, will check this out