Keep your blinds closed, especially on north and west-facing windows, to significantly cool your home. Better yet, invest in some block-out curtains to shield your home from that harsh summer sun.
Cover the OUTSIDE of south or west facing windows. Shading windows from the outside keeps them from getting hot and warming the inside of your home. Works great. I've got tarps up over windows, they all stayed cool to the touch inside and my house stayed below 80° yesterday with nothing more than a small window AC.
An external shutter over the western facing window would help, along with foliage in your yard. I would also consider having whirlie birds installed, eaves vents installed throughout and checking if your western wall has insulation in it.
West-facing rooms
can overheat in the late afternoon for much of the year. may require vertical shading to prevent excessive overheating and glare in the afternoon. provide good direct solar gain for thermal mass heating of living spaces in the evening.
Window awnings can reduce solar heat gain in the summer by up to 65% on south-facing windows and 77% on west-facing windows. You can use an awning to shade one window or have an awning custom-made to shade the entire side of your house.
Put up awnings or shade cloths.
Awnings and shade cloths work by blocking out the sun's rays, which helps keep your door cooler and prevents fading.
External shading of West facing windows is most effective as it stops the heat before it enters your home and will reduce the energy needed to keep your home cooler in summer. External blinds, awnings or the planting of deciduous trees can also be effective barriers to heat gain.
To avoid the harsh sun while bringing in enough sunlight, it is best to have windows in the north, east, or north-east directions with maximum windows in the east side. Additionally, if there is an open well in the east or south-east directions, you are recommended to cover it.
Keep your blinds closed, especially on north and west-facing windows, to significantly cool your home. Better yet, invest in some block-out curtains to shield your home from that harsh summer sun.
Increase the Shade
Adding window treatments is one of the easiest ways to keep sunlight from heating your living space. Curtains or drapes with a reflective or light-colored backing would do the best job since they won't absorb extra heat. In addition, you can consider getting adjustable blinds or a roller-type shade.
Coverings and shading
External shading is much more effective at keeping your home cool than internal blinds or curtains, as it stops the heat reaching the glass, but using both external and internal window coverings will provide maximum protection.
Plant Trees and Bushes
When you are looking for great ways to stay cool in your west facing backyard, planting some trees and bushes around your deck or patio will be a great idea. Along with not costing you very much money, they will compliment the pergola, awning, or shades you have already installed at your home.
Reflective surfaces and shading prevent heat gain directly from sun while insulation slows heat transfer from the outside building surfaces through walls and roof toward the cooler interior environment.
Available as a roll, reflective radiator foil can keep your room cosy and reduce your heating costs by reflecting heat back into the room that would otherwise be lost through the wall.
In other cultures, there are many benefits to west-facing houses. There is a traditional home design philosophy in Japan that says west-facing homes exude a sense of youth and cheerfulness. In China, the famous Feng Shui states that you should associate yourself with the metal elements if you have a west-facing house.
While sleeping in the west direction does its opposite that keeps the body lazy. It also doesn't let your brain function properly as the energy isn't sufficient to work with a pace.
South-facing and east-facing houses get the most sunlight.
It's also important to note that, because the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, an east-facing home will receive the most morning sun and a west-facing house will get more afternoon sun.
Blinds Versus Curtains
In general, curtains are better for retaining heat in the home. However, by choosing a thermal blind you can reduce heat loss from your home by 20-40%, while thermal curtains reduce heat loss by just 25%-30%.