re: More heat in house from west facing windows or poor attic insulation?

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like everyone my hvac is struggling on these hundred degree days and i know i have poor attic insulation (will be handled this winter). I'm wondering how much is a double west facing window with porous blinds actually heating my house? I'm trying to decide if its worth blacking out these windows for better hvac efficiency or if my problem is mainly from the poor attic insulation. I will say that bedroom is usually the hottest room in the house.

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I spent about $80 and an hour this spring adding window tint to the two windows in our master bedroom that face northwest. It has really helped keep that room cooler. It will still always be the warmest room in the house, as it has 3 walls that face outside and is the furthest from the A/C. But it has been a noticeable difference this summer versus previous years.

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My situation: House is 32 years old. Brand new 5 ton, 19 SEER variable speed unit. How beneficial would it be to ADD blown in insulation deep enough to cover ductwork, can lights, etc, or is that even allowable/ up to code?

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Blown in insulation settles over time, loosing reducing the R factor and you probably, like me, have R-30, minimum required by code at that time. I plan to add additional blown in insulation to my 30 year old home this fall to bring it up to R-38/40 after sealing the attic penetrations (electrical wiring, plumbing vents, ceiling plates, etc.).

There is a risk of burying ducts in loose insulation in humid climates LINK. Light figures can be buried if rated for this, and if not, they can be covered and sealed from the attic side and insulation placed over the cover.

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More heat in house from west facing windows or poor attic insulation?

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or no wall insulation.

I'll leave the AC responses to the experts.

In almost every one of these "ac struggling" posts, I never see anyone mention wall insulation, it's always attic insulation, radiant barrier, duct, tonnage, seer, etc. Your walls heat up too especially if they're brick.

I would check to see if you have any wall insulation by cutting a small hole in each room on the outside walls of the house. My first house in B'ham, a ranch built in the 60's did not have wall insulation. The builders back then must've thought the brick exterior or brown board backing was sufficient. I ended up tearing out drywall so I could insulate the walls. It made a big difference. I also replaced the old wood windows with new Pella energy windows myself.

Use a Flir IR camera to see exactly where the heat is transferring to the inside of your home. I'd start there first if you ask me. I've used one here and it's wild to see the hotspots on camera.