With the typically unpredictable British weather upon us, homeowners are turning their attention skywards and focusing on the rooms of the house that tend to get hotter, the warmer it is outside. Loft areas are likely to be the spaces that suffer most when the sun shines, and finding top tips on how to keep a loft cool in summer can become a pressing priority due to their position in the home.
Because heat naturally rises, loft rooms tend to be the hottest in the house, and without appropriate measures in place can become stuffy and unpleasant to spend time in. This can be particularly unpleasant if the loft is used as a bedroom, and can disrupt a person's sleep patterns severely if the issue is not addressed.
So if you are considering a loft conversion or have one already, the following tips can be useful to take into consideration to ensure your loft room stays as cool as possible.
Loft Ventilation
Ventilation is the most obvious answer for ventilating your roof space or loft conversion. Plastic vent roof tiles do not have to be installed for the sole purpose of ventilating an extraction fan, vent tiles can be installed to just vent a roof space and allow airflow through the roof. It is now common practise for new builds to have vent tiles installed for this exact purpose.
Should your home be older and/or you have an issue with heat or condensation, Manthorpe Felt Lap Vents or Kima Inside/Out Vents can be installed.
Manthorpe Building Products are a UK based supplier of everything roof ventilation.
With a lot of loft conversions, roof windows are installed to allow natural sunlight into the room. Opening the window in the cooler hours of the morning can help with airflow through the situated room. You could go a step further from roof windows and install a cabrio balcony, which not only offer sunlight and ventilation, but a space to to sit outside and relax. Velux Roof windows and cabrio balconys can be found on our website.
Loft Insulation
Keeping your loft room well insulated is essential both in summer and winter months. While many people associate insulation with keeping the home warm, it actually works both ways. Efficient insulation will help to prevent hot air from building up in the room, which stops the room having that stuffy feeling. It will deflect heat and allow warm air to escape out of the roof. Top-quality insulation boards and loft insulation rolls will help keep lofts colder during the summer months and lower fuel bills in the winter. Take a look at About Roofing’s options for roof & loft insulation.
Dealing with direct sunlight
The sun pouring in through the windows can make your loft room lovely and light; however, direct sunlight will quickly heat up the room, and if your aim is to keep it as fresh as possible, it’s a good idea to shield the room much as possible from the sun. Blackout blinds, available from Velux, block out a lot of the sunlight, whilst still allowing for ventilation when the window is open. Investing in bespoke blinds that perfectly fit your windows is the most effective.
For further information on roof windows and blinds, please visit Velux.
Air conditioning
Of course, there is always the option to have an air conditioning unit installed in the room. This is a more expensive option but will be incredibly effective at cooling it down. Air conditioning units must be installed by a professional and regularly maintained to keep them working effectively.
Solar air conditioning is another attractive option as it is smart in the way that it harnesses sunlight to power the air conditioning unit and will help keep your energy bills down too.
Keeping your loft cool all year round with About Roofing!
Learning how to keep a loft cool will ensure that you stay comfortable in your home all year long.
To discuss pricing and the availability of roofing materials, please call us on 01737 763008 or email us here.
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