Draught-proofing

Controlling draughts in your home reduces the amount of cold air that gets in and reduces the amount of heat that escapes. 

Block up unwanted gaps around windows, doors, chimneys and between floorboards. This means you use less energy to heat your house during the colder months, saving you money on your energy bills. 

How much could I save by draught-proofing my home? 

Draught proofing around windows and doors could save you around £40 a year. If you have an open chimney, draught proofing your chimney when you’re not using it could save you around £55 a year. 

Draught-free homes are more comfortable at lower temperatures – so you may be able to turn down your heating controls, saving even more on your energy bills. 

How much does it cost to draught-proof my home? 

Draught proofing costs vary depending on how much and which areas of your home you want to draught proof. 

Professional draught proofing could cost around £230 for your whole house. DIY draught proofing will be cheaper. However, some homes, especially older homes with single glazing, will be more difficult to draught proof. For more information, visit Energy Saving Trust’s advice on draught proofing older homes.

Professional draught proofing is likely to save more energy because the installer will know exactly the right materials to use and where to use them. 

How easy is DIY draught-proofing? 

If you’re happy carrying out simple DIY tasks, draught proofing should be no problem. Make sure you don’t block or seal any deliberate ventilation in your home, as air needs to flow in and out of your house. 

You should avoid blocking or sealing:

• Extractor fans – these are often found in kitchens and bathrooms and can help prevent damp and condensation. 
• Underfloor grilles or airbricks – these help to keep wooden floors and beams dry. 
• Wall vents – these let fresh air into the rooms in your home. 
• Trickle vents – these are often found above modern windows to let fresh air trickle in. 

How to draught-proof common areas 

There are several common places to draught-proof in any home, where unwanted cold air gets in and warm air escapes.

Windows 

If your windows open inwards or outwards, you can stick draught-proofing strips around the window frame to fill any gaps between the window and the frame. There are two options:

• self-adhesive foam strips, which are cheap and easy to install
• metal/plastic strips with brushes or wipers, which are more expensive but will last much longer

If you have sliding sash windows, you should fit brush strips or consult a professional. For windows that don’t open, use a silicone sealant that you can buy from any DIY store. 

Doors 

Draught-proofing any outside-facing door can prevent heat from escaping. If you look at your front door, for example, you’ll notice there are four main areas you could draught proof: 

• Keyhole – you can buy purpose-made covers for keyholes. 
• Letterbox – you can fit a letterbox flap or brush. 
• Gap at the bottom of the door – you can use a brush or hinged flap draught excluder. 
• Gaps at the sides of the door – you can fit foam, brush or wiper strips. 

If there’s a gap at the bottom of an internal door to a room that you don’t normally heat, block it with a draught excluder. These are cheap to buy, or you can make one yourself using plastic bags or bits of scrap fabric. 

Chimneys 

If you have a fireplace you don’t use, you’re probably losing heat up the chimney. You have two options:

• fit a cap over the chimney pot, but you’d need to ask a professional to do this for you
• buy a chimney draught excluder, which you can fit yourself

Floors and skirting boards 

Another place you could be losing heat is through the gap where your floor meets your skirting boards. You can fill these gaps with a silicone-based filler – the best types to use are:

• flexible fillers
• decorator’s caulk
• mastic-type products

Fillers will block gaps permanently, so be careful when you apply them and remove any excess filler before it dries. 

Loft hatches 

Block draughts around the sides by using the same type of strip insulation you’d use on a door. 

Get more energy saving advice

If you need more detailed energy advice and support, call our advice team free on 0808 175 9345. Or request a call back using our contact form.