How to Draught-Proof Your Home

Draughts are gaps that let cold air in and warm air out. They are one of the biggest causes of heat loss in UK homes, and draught-proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to reduce your energy bills. Most draught-proofing jobs are simple DIY tasks that pay for themselves within a year.

Doors

External doors are the biggest culprits. Fit self-adhesive foam strips or rubber seals around the door frame. For the gap at the bottom, fit a brush strip, a rubber threshold seal, or a letter-box style draught excluder. Internal doors between heated and unheated rooms should also be draught-proofed.

Cost: £5-15 per door. Foam strips are cheapest but rubber seals last longer. A proper threshold strip costs £10-20 and makes the biggest difference.

Windows

Check for gaps around window frames where they meet the wall. Use decorators’ caulk or silicone sealant to fill any gaps. For sash windows, fit brush strips into the sliding mechanism. For old single-glazed windows, apply secondary glazing film as a temporary measure.

Cost: £2-5 per window for sealant. Secondary glazing film costs £5-10 per window and can reduce heat loss by 50% on single-glazed windows.

Letterboxes

A standard letterbox is essentially a hole in your front door. Fit a letterbox brush cover on the inside (£5-10) or a full letterbox draught excluder with a flap and brush combination. Some people fit an external letterbox cage which also helps.

Chimneys

An open chimney can lose as much heat as an open window. If you do not use your fireplace, fit a chimney draught excluder (a balloon or sheep wool chimney pillow). These cost £20-30 and can save £50+ per year. Remember to remove it before lighting a fire.

Floors and Skirting Boards

Gaps between floorboards and around skirting boards let cold air rise from under the floor. Use flexible filler or decorator’s caulk along skirting boards. For gaps between floorboards, use a flexible wood filler or rope-style gap filler.

Costs vs Savings

Total cost for a full house: £50-100. Total annual saving: £60-100+. Most draught-proofing pays for itself within a single winter.