It’s estimated that a significant amount of a home’s heat loss is caused by draughts, with the biggest culprits being windows and doors.
To help combat this, Rhiannon Moore at Toolstation has shared a guide to draught-proofing a home with expert recommendations.
Ventilation vs draughts
Despite common misconceptions, a home needs airflow to help reduce condensation and dampness. Especially in the kitchen or bathroom, airflow is a necessity – so extra care should be taken when draught-proofing these areas.
When draught-proofing make sure not to block any:
- Extractor fans – these take out damp air quickly in rooms where lots of moisture is produced.
- Underfloor grilles or airbricks – these help keep wooden beams and floors dry.
- Wall vents – which let small amounts of fresh air into rooms.
- Trickle vents – modern windows often have small vents above them to let fresh air trickle in.
The five most common areas for draughts
- Windows
For windows that can be opened, stick draught-proofing strips around the window frame to fill the gap between the window itself and the frame. There are two types:
- Self-adhesive foam strips – these are cheap and easy to install, but may not last long term.
- Brush strips – either metal or plastic which are long-lasting, but cost a little more.
Make sure the strip is the right size to fill the gap in your window. If the strip is too big, it will get crushed and you may be unable to close the window. If it’s too small, there will still be a gap and a draught.
- External Doors (excluding fire doors)
Draught-proofing external doors can stop a lot of heat from escaping, and won’t cost you much. There are four main areas to consider draught-proofing:
- The keyhole – you can buy a purpose-made cover that drops a metal disc over the keyhole blocking the cold air.
- The letterbox – a letterbox flap or brush should be used to cover the gap, but remember to measure your letterbox before you buy.
- Bottom gaps – a brush or hinged flap draught excluder can be used.
- Side gaps – self-adhesive foam strips can be used to block the gap between the door and the frame.
If you are looking to draught-proof a fire door, then professional help should be sought to check no regulations are being broken.
- Chimneys
If you have an unused fireplace, the chimney is probably a source of unnecessary draughts. There are two main ways to draught-proof a chimney:
- Fit a cap over the chimney pot – this is installed outside and should be carried out by a professional tradesperson.
- Buy a chimney draught excluder – they help stop draughts and heat loss through the chimney and are usually fitted inside or around the fireplace.
It’s important to remember to remove the draught-proofing if you decide to light a fire.
- Floorboards and skirting boards
With age and use, floorboards and skirting boards often expand, contract, and move slightly, causing small gaps to open up.
To fill in these holes it’s best to use a silicon-based filler as this can tolerate any movement of the boards. Decorators caulk is a good choice and comes in a variety of different colours.
It’s important to note that fillers block permanently, so be careful how and where you apply them, and make sure to wipe away any excess before they dry.
- Loft Hatch
Cold air from the loft can easily come through the gap between the loft hatch and the frame which can cause a strong draught.
For flat loft hatches, it’s best to use self-adhesive foam tape fitted to the hatch frame. When the hatch is in place it will then rest on the foam to create a draught-proof seal.
For hinged loft hatches, self-adhesive tape should also be used but in this instance, it should be fitted to the hatch frame facing down. That way when the loft is closed it will rest up against the tape to form the seal.
For more useful how-to guides, please see the Toolstation website: https://www.toolstation.com/help-and-advice/how-to-guides
