Are you considering draught proofing? Or just wondering what it is? Here we explain, with simple steps on how to draught proof your property.
Draught proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to save energy in your home.
A draught is defined as a cold vortex of air and can lead to a drop in temperature and heat loss.
Gaps can result in losing warm air and letting cold air in.
A draught-free home is comfortable at lower temperatures, so you are more likely to use your heating less often.
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How to Draught Proofing Your Home UK
In the infographic below, we highlight common problem areas in UK homes and outline the steps you can take to draught-proof them, along with the estimated savings.
Why Draught Proof Your Home?
Draught proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to save energy in your home.
What is a Draught?
A draught is defined as a cold vortex of air and can lead to a drop in temperature and heat loss.
Gaps can result in losing warm air and letting cold air in.
A draught-free home is comfortable at lower temperatures, so you will likely use less heating.
Draught Proofing UK Steps
Here are the steps you can take and estimated savings:
Draught Proofing Windows
To draught-proof windows that open, install strips with brushes attached to fill the gap between the window and the frame.
For windows that don’t open, seal the gaps using silicone.
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Draught Proofing Doors
Doors have lots of areas where draughts can arise including the keyhole, letterbox and gaps around the edges.
You can buy purpose-built draught-proofing solutions for each of these areas, including letterbox and keyhole flaps, as well as brush strips for gaps at the top and bottom.
Draught Proofing Chimneys
A major issue with chimneys is that they also allow warm air to escape from your home, whether your fire is currently on or not.
Even worse is the fact that cold air from the outside can also make its way down the chimney causing a draught.
Therefore, when the fire is not in use, it’s a good idea to use a chimney draught excluder.
Draught Proofing Pipework
The likes of small gaps around pipes and electrical sockets can be dealt with by silicone fillers.
Larger gaps can be filled in with expanding polyurethane foam, which will expand and dry hard.
Draught Proofing Loft hatches
As you probably know, heat rises and so one-third of heat can be lost in an uninsulated home.
However, gaps around your loft hatch can easily allow draughts to develop.
Simply use strip insulation, just like a regular door.
Floorboards and Skirting
You can easily fill gaps in your flooring with an expandable filler.
Make sure it’s expandable since floors will move over time as the wood expands and detracts naturally.
Old Extractor Fans
If you used to have an extractor fan installed via an external wall, you may need to fill the old gap it left behind.
Ensure the gap is filled with concrete blocks and sealed on both sides.
