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5th November 2024


Tips for Draught Proofing Your Home

One of the simplest ways to make your home snug and cosy in winter – and cooler in summer – is to stop the draughts. You could save on your energy bills, too.

If you use electricity or gas to heat or cool your home, then the last thing you want is warm or cool air seeping out before you get a chance to enjoy it. It’s like money down the drain.

The good news is you can save on your heating and cooling costs by simply sealing a few cracks in and around your home. Getting rid of draughts – that is, the air that flows in or out through cracks and small openings in your home – is a simple, cost-effective way to reduce your reliance on heating or cooling, and in turn your energy bills.

In this article, we’ll provide our top tips for identifying and sealing draughts to help you create a more energy-efficient home.

Draughts explained

Unlike ventilation, which is the controlled passage of air to help with things like condensation or cooling, draughts are uncontrolled currents of air that flow in or out of your home. They are caused by pressure and suction.

Up to 25% of heat loss from houses is caused by draughts. The warm air is ‘sucked’ from inside to outside through all the cracks and crannies in your home and cold air rushes in to replace it. The reverse happens in summer, with cool indoor air escaping and warm outdoor air coming in to replace it.

Identifying draughts in your home: common culprits

You probably know where the draughts are in your home. They’re the areas that always feel cold even when the heating’s on, and sometimes, you can literally feel the current of air flowing in through the room.

Some of the more common sites of draughts include:

  • Around the edges of doors and windows
  • Through gaps in floorboards
  • Around the outside of air conditioners, heaters and evaporative cooling outlets
  • Up chimneys
  • In gaps between walls and skirting boards

How to find draughts around the home

If you’re unsure where the draughts are, try these effective techniques:

  • The incense stick method: On a cold, windy day with the heating on, walk through each room close to the walls while holding a lit incense stick or candle. Observe the smoke rising – if it blows in an unusual direction, you’ve likely found a draught.
  • Feeling for draughts: On a cold day, use the back of your hand to feel around the edges of doors, windows, and other common draught spots. You’ll often be able to feel the cold air coming in.
  • Checking for light: At night, turn off the lights inside your home and shine a flashlight around doors and window frames from the outside. If you see light seeping through, you’ve found a gap that could be causing a draught.
  • Listening for whistling sounds: Sometimes, draughts can create a whistling or whooshing sound. Pay attention to these sounds, especially on windy days, to locate potential draught entry points.

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What is draught proofing?

Draught proofing is the process of sealing up the gaps and cracks in your home to prevent unwanted cold air from entering and warm air from escaping. It’s a simple and cost-effective way to enhance your home’s comfort and energy efficiency. Whether it’s installing door brush strips, applying weather stripping, or using sealants, draught proofing tackles those pesky air leaks that can make your home less efficient.

How to draught-proof your home

Once you’ve identified where the draughts are, you can do something about it. Fixing draughts is generally an inexpensive and easy job. The way you fix it can depend on where the draught is in your home and how permanent you want the fix to be.

Here are some effective tips:

  • Seal gaps and cracks: Grab yourself some caulk from the hardware store and follow the instructions to apply it to any cracks in walls, around windows, in floorboards and so on. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the best results.
  • Install weather stripping: Apply weather stripping around doors and windows to create a tight seal that prevents air from leaking in or out.
  • Add draught-stoppers to doors: For doors, consider using draught stoppers. You can opt for a quick fix like a door snake or a more permanent solution like a door strip that attaches to the bottom of the door.
  • Cover vents and ducts: It’s possible that cold air is coming in through your air conditioning vents and other ducts. Use magnetic vent covers or specially designed covers to seal off vents and ducts that are not in use to prevent cold air infiltration.
  • Insulate your chimney: If you have an unused chimney, consider using a chimney balloon or another form of insulation to prevent draughts from entering your home.

By taking these steps, you can make your home more comfortable and energy-efficient, helping to reduce your energy bills in the process.

The final word

If your home is a little leaky – with cracks or gaps in windows, walls and more – then you could be spending more than necessary to heat it in winter and cool it in summer. Draught proofing your home is a quick, cost-effective way to seal these leaks and reduce your energy bills.

References




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