Energy advice update: Draught-proofing your home
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During the colder winter months, it’s important that you keep your house at a temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius for your health and wellbeing.
One way you can effectively save some money on your energy bills is by draught-proofing your home. This is to keep any heat in your home from escaping and stop any unwanted cold draughts and wind from coming in.
Our energy advice team conducts advice appointments, workshops and home visits with local people, helping identify and suggest ways that they can make their homes more energy-efficient.
Here, the team has some advice on how you could draught-proof your home…
Draught excluders
If you have draughty gaps underneath your internal or external doors, you can buy door frame draught excluders. These look like a long, flat cushion which you place in front of your external and internal doors. They’re a really simple but effective tool to draught-proof your home and you can buy them from homeware stores for between £10 and £30.
Did you know?
In the last two years, our energy advice service team has distributed 60 door frame draught excluders to help householders keep their house warm.
Reducing cold air through your windows
If you have older, draughty windows which let in cold air through cracks in the frames, you can buy draught excluders for your window frames too. These come as adhesive or sealant strips and tapes, which you install around the edges of your window frames. These can be found for between £10 and £20 from online retailers.
Skirting boards and floorboards
If you have any draughty gaps in your skirting boards and floorboards, you can buy gap fillers and sealants to block these gaps and stop the warm air escaping through them.
Loft insulation
If you have a loft, you can install loft hatch insulation. This looks like a foil which can be used to cover your loft hatch or, if you have the budget, your entire loft with.
Foil loft insulation works by using reflecting heat, preventing it from escaping in winter and entering in summer. Cost of this type of insulation starts at around £45.
Fireplace draughts
If you have a big fireplace, you can install a chimney draught excluder too. These are made from felt wool and are used to effectively ‘plug’ your chimney when it’s not in use to stop the warm air from escaping the chimney. Felt chimney plugs vary in price but can be found for around £25 – always follow the safety advice and don’t forget it is in position.
Big saving potential every year
Draught-proofing measures vary in price, ease of installation, and cost-effectiveness. However, they can save you a lot of money over time.
The energy saving trust estimates that taking draught-proofing measures in your home can save up to £90 per year.
Need help?
If you’re unsure about which draught-proofing measures would be best for your household, book an appointment or discuss a home visit with our team.
We’re always happy to help and you can find us at one of our regular free drop-in sessions, or can get in touch by emailing energyadvice@caritassalford.org.uk.
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