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Original poster

Air conditioning and loft conversions

64 replies

Pinkandwhiteblossom · 02/06/2021 18:28

Evening - posting here for traffic.

If you have a loft conversion which has a bedroom do you:
A) have air conditioning and if so do you use it?
B) don’t have it but would install it if you had were starting again.

Help me settle an argument MN! Thanks

OP posts:

Original poster

Pinkandwhiteblossom · 02/06/2021 20:57

Since this isn’t AIBU I’m going with @Impatientwino and ignoring the rest of you.

All opinions helpful though. More to discuss. We are in London, and the few people I’ve asked IRL say they would like it. But it’s interesting to hear the London / Surrey people who say it’s not necessary.

OP posts:

Bumbers · 02/06/2021 20:59

I'm in London with a loft conversion. Don't have it and room gets unbearable even with velux windows etc. Looking at getting air con retrofitted right now..

Original poster

Pinkandwhiteblossom · 02/06/2021 20:59

Oh and @Geordieoldgirl! Thank you - you’re my second helper 😄

OP posts:

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Home improvement

Jalapinot · 02/06/2021 20:59

We just had air con installed in our loft bedroom and I wouldn't hesitate to have it again. Am considering a unit for the living room too.
We had portable air con units but they were too noisy and hard to vent. We have a Dyson fan too but I think it's rubbish tbh.

CaptainCorelli · 02/06/2021 21:03

Our loft conversion was unbearable last year, we have bought an air cooler and it has really helped the last couple of days. If you can afford it I would go with the air con. We don’t have velux windows so if you have those it might help. I hate being too hot though!

spiderlight · 02/06/2021 21:03

I'd definitely put air con in our loft dormer if I could go back - it's our teen son's room and it gets really hot even with open window and velux. He has a Dyson fan but not the cooling one - wish I'd paid the extra now.

dun1urkin · 02/06/2021 21:06

Typed out a massive long supportive reply and lost it!
Anyway the gist was yes! Get it! We’ve got a portable one that’s moved house with us to a house with no attic or attic - like bedrooms and still use it.
NW, so not known for being too hot!

MistySkiesAfterRain · 02/06/2021 21:09

I don't have a loft but have been researching this as I have a hot lounge.

If I had the money, definitely Velux.

The issue with a stand alone air con machine is that it cools the air but not enough- think pleasant but not ice cave. You want to block the heat getting in for a more effective approach.

The Dyson fan-the circulation is meant to be good and its quiet. I personally don't think it would cut it in an extremely hot room.

My 9000BTU Air Con cools the room temp from 35 degrees to 25-26 degrees. Costs about £20 a month to run the machine for 6 hours a day.

Aircon throughout- can't comment but I imagine this is the best, but pricey to run.

Siennabear · 02/06/2021 21:10

We had our loft conversion done a few years back. It gets unbearable in the summer. Yes we have air conditioning. Before we got that I used to wake up sweating where it was so hot. I think the baby monitor said something ridiculous like 35 degrees. It’s like heaven when you walk in with the air con now.

LakeShoreD · 02/06/2021 21:25

We’re in London and will be getting it when we start work on our loft conversion in a couple of months. It’ll be DD’s room and an office up there but we’re also trying to work out if we can run it down to the bedrooms below without a ridiculous amount of hassle and money. We lived in the states for a long time so have been spoilt and really miss it on hot days. One thing to be said against though is that it is noisy, much more so than any fan I’ve come across. This summer we are making do with Dyson cool fans in every room which are very good for fans but a/c they most definitely are not.

LimaFoxtrotCharlie · 02/06/2021 21:25

Isn’t air con really noisy for your neighbours if you’re living in a terrace?

MilduraS · 02/06/2021 21:25

I don't have a loft conversion but when we did a big kitchen diner extension we decided to install air con in the kitchen (it's the only room that has it). My DH thought i was mad but we've pushed the dining table back and slept on a blow up mattress for every heatwave. It's lovely being able to sleep whatever the weather and I don't have to dread him turning into a misery guts when it gets hot. If I were doing a loft conversion I would 100% pay for an air con unit.

cortex10 · 02/06/2021 21:29

We installed aircon when we had a south-facing ground floor extension built. We also extended it at the same time to the two bedrooms on that side of the house. It's only been18 months but the main benefit is definitely in the bedrooms. Only takes about 10 minutes to cool the room down so no more waking up too hot to sleep in the middle of the night. Next week we're having a second unit installed for the bedroom I use as my home office. The only regret is not sorting it first time round.

Original poster

Pinkandwhiteblossom · 02/06/2021 21:36

@LimaFoxtrotCharlie, we’re not in a terrace so we don’t need to worry about that - but I think modern ones are quite quiet

OP posts:

reluctantbrit · 02/06/2021 21:36

@icklekid

Loft conversion but no air con and not bothered either - sorry doesn’t help your case. We have velux and juliet balcony- leave these open during the day and it’s perfectly cool by evening

Same here. The loft is actually DD’s room and therefore she spends quite a lot of time there and so far doesn’t complain (moved up 8 years ago).

I had a loft bedroom in the past and air con wasn’t a question at all, you just sort out proper blinds and open the windows.

JackieTheFart · 02/06/2021 21:41

Funny, DH and I were just discussing air con.

We’re moving soon (although your particular issue not relevant to us) into a house we hope to be in forever. We both think that air con would be a must have in around 5-10 years as the summers get hotter.

Personally I think I’d have it in a loft space, in particular. You can get single units for a decent amount.

user123532 · 02/06/2021 22:15

Yes, go for it, definitely. I'm going to put it in ours when we do one, and in our bedroom too. I hate not being able to sleep or get comfortable on a night when it's hot

OverTheRubicon · 02/06/2021 22:18

I had a loft bedroom in the past and air con wasn’t a question at all, you just sort out proper blinds and open the windows.

I understand people saying they don't want aircon despite occasional heat, but suspect that people implying it's a bit pointless have not spent much time in south-aspect London terrace lofts. Before we got a portable Aircon unit (it's a poor cousin but better than nothing!), I had fans, white heavy curtains, and shade blinds and a velux to allow a breeze but nevertheless my room was above 26 all night, many nights, and sometimes higher during heatwaves. My baby was struggling to sleep and waking covered in sweat, I was totally unable to work properly during the day when the room was above 30. Yes we could all survive but it was horrible. I come from a much hotter place, and know how to dress and to let in and block out light, but in most hot places our homes are designed accordingly, with courtyards and shade and higher ceilings for fans.

So anyway, if you're south, or feel the heat, or plan to use the loft during the day I'd allow for aircon. If not then I think that fans and a cross-breeze might be ok if you want to save money and energy.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 02/06/2021 22:35

My architect said not to put it into extension plans. I insisted and it got passed.

If one assumes climate change is happening why would one not install it?

skippy67 · 02/06/2021 22:42

@Pinkandwhiteblossom

I want it but DH is resistant....I was hoping MN would back me up.

Is the Dyson cooling fan quiet?

Yes, very quiet. I usually have it on level 3 (of 10), and find that just right even on very hot nights. Level 10 seems loud, but I've never had to use it.

skippy67 · 02/06/2021 22:44

And I live in London, and the loft is South facing. I'm also menopausal, so keeping cool is extremely important to me 🤣🤣

WellTidy · 02/06/2021 22:45

Not a lift conversion, but two bedrooms in the top floor eaves of a 1910s SE detached.

I would 100% have air con if I could. It is melting up there in the summer, absolutely melting. We have the window (sash) open on the stairs leading up to it, and that helps, but it isn’t in any way enough. The rest of the house is quite cool, but it is insufferable up there.

WellTidy · 02/06/2021 22:46

We have a dyson fan, which helps a lot, but if is still melting.

MotherofPearl · 02/06/2021 22:50

Our bedroom is in our loft conversion. We have two large velux (plus another one on the stairs), as well as the dormer and it's still far too hot up here. And we're in the NW! I can't imagine how bad it would be in London.

I would definitely have had AC installed when we converted if I'd thought of it. I'm now researching getting it done next time we redecorate, as I assume it makes a fair bit of mess and you'd need to redecorate afterwards.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 02/06/2021 22:53

@WellTidy

Not a lift conversion.

Averytall think room perhaps?

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