As the UK braces for another heatwave, with temperatures forecast to hit 34C in southeast England on Thursday, July 9, a housing specialist has shared a simple trick to keep upstairs bedrooms cooler at night: leave the loft hatch open.
Why Upstairs Gets So Hot
UK homes are typically built to trap heat indoors, and because hot air rises, upper-floor rooms become especially uncomfortable during warm weather. Oliver Novakovic, Technical and Innovation Director at Barratt Redrow, explained that opening the loft hatch allows trapped warm air to escape, rather than lingering in bedrooms.
“Lift the loft hatch. As the hot air rises in your home, it can often get trapped on the second floor, where you may be trying to sleep. Opening the loft hatch during the day can allow the air to rise further and away from your bedroom,” Novakovic said. He added that if the hatch is fire-rated, it should be closed again at night.
How to Use the Loft Hatch Effectively
For best results, open the loft hatch during the day and also slightly open a window to improve air circulation. At night, if the loft space and outside air have cooled, keeping the hatch open can help draw hot air out of the bedroom. However, results may vary. Some Mumsnet users report noticeable cooling, while Reddit users caution that a poorly ventilated or excessively hot loft could push heat back into the rooms below.
Heatwave Forecast for the UK
The Met Office has warned of a north-south split this week, with rain in Scotland and hot, sunny conditions in the south. On Wednesday, July 8, temperatures in southeast England are expected to reach 33C, rising to 34C on Thursday. The Met Office stated: “There's a heatwave on the way across southern parts of the UK this coming week.”
Overnight conditions will remain warm and humid, making sleep difficult for many. Novakovic’s advice offers a low-cost alternative to fans or air conditioning, which not everyone is comfortable using.
