Homeowner hangs white towels outside to cut heat, then HOA orders them down 2 days later

A homeowner looking for a quick way to keep dangerous heat out of their home said they hung white towels outside a window, only to be told by their homeowners association to take them down. 

The post struck a chord because it captured a familiar summer standoff: the cheapest cooling fix is sometimes the exact one an HOA says ruins the neighborhood's look.

Here's what to know

In a Reddit thread, the original poster wrote, "If I want to hang white towels on the outside of my window to reduce the heat coming in, I should be allowed to. I don't have screened windows so I cannot use solar screens." The resident added: "Two days later, I'm demanded to take it down."

Several replies focused less on the heat and more on the HOA rules governing visible exterior changes. One commenter asked, "What do your CC&Rs say about window coverings on the exterior of your house?"

Another commenter warned that the issue could have escalated beyond a reminder. They wrote, "That was just begging for a fine. Should at least ask for a temporary exemption from rules, not just violate rules and hope they ignore it."

More background

The poster said solar screens weren't an option because the windows had no screens, leaving fewer ways to block heat before they tried the towels. Since the towels were hung outside, the fix was also hard to miss.

HOAs across the country have faced criticism for blocking or delaying money-saving home improvements, including rooftop solar panels and native plant lawns, which can reduce both water use and maintenance costs. In cases like this one, even a temporary heat fix can run into the same appearance-based rules that have complicated larger energy-efficiency upgrades.

Residents dealing with extreme temperatures can face higher utility bills, fewer practical choices, and a constant balancing act between comfort and compliance.

What can be done?

One Reddit commenter pointed to a workaround they used in a 2005 apartment with a west-facing bedroom. Instead of putting anything outside, they said they cut cardboard slightly larger than the window openings, covered it with inexpensive black felt, and wedged the panels inside the windows.

The commenter described the result, writing, "Zero light leaked around them, and they cut down the heat considerably." Because the material sat inside the glass, they added, "From outside, you couldn't tell anything unusual was there. The windows with blinds just looked like closed blinds, and the others simply looked dark."

Commenters also mentioned several indoor alternatives, such as foil behind blinds, bubble wrap on the windows, mylar blankets on the inside of the glass, blackout curtains, cellular shades, and UV film. One person noted that reflective materials can come with downsides, saying a mylar setup in an apartment "nuked the blinds."

Homeowners who want to challenge the rules, rather than simply work around them, can work with HOAs to understand how bylaw changes and exemption requests can actually get done.

Where can I learn more?

HOA rules can also affect other practical home choices tied to heat, energy use, and appearance. These articles cover disputes over outdoor laundry, window coverings, shade restrictions, porch-light energy use, and solar shingles.

• In Virginia, a homeowner found a controversial HOA laundry rule stretched further than expected.

• On Reddit, an HOA ordered conventional window blinds removed over aesthetics alone.

• In Arizona, lawmakers moved to stop HOA shade bans after one family's fight.

• A renter found an HOA's porch-light rule made saving energy harder than expected.

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