The London House Manual
Thoughts on caring for, repairing, retrofitting and extending London houses
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Thoughts on caring for, repairing, retrofitting and extending London houses 〰️
Thoughts on caring for, repairing, retrofitting and extending London houses
〰️
Thoughts on caring for, repairing, retrofitting and extending London houses 〰️
Why does my loft conversion get so hot? Ask the dishwasher
Why do loft conversions overheat in summer? The answer lies in thermal mass. A dishwasher’s drying cycle offers an unlikely route into the physics of lightweight extensions, explaining why top-floor rooms in London terraces heat up fast and prove difficult to cool.
Why do old houses need to breathe?
Old houses need to breathe because they were built with materials that manage moisture slowly. Solid brick, lime mortar and timber can absorb and release vapour over time, helping the building dry out after wet weather, condensation or small leaks. Seal that material chemistry with impermeable products and damp often follows.
How to deal with overheating in London houses
To stop a London house overheating, first reduce the amount of heat entering the building. This usually means shading windows and rooflights, improving ventilation, carefully considering insulation, reducing hard landscaping and choosing materials that slow heat transfer. Mechanical cooling should come later, where it is genuinely needed.