Tips and inspiration
- There are simple fixes you can do to keep your home cosy and use your heating less by reducing heat loss through draughts.
- Locate your heat leaks. Check for gaps around windows, doors, letterboxes and chimneys. Carefully hold a lit candle or incense stick near potential draught spots – if the flame or smoke moves, you’ve found a leak.
- Use self-adhesive foam strips for windows and doors as well as letterbox covers and chimney balloons to block draughts. Sealing gaps between floorboards can be a bit more tedious, so an easy alternative is to put down a rug to stop cold air from creeping in.
- Draft excluders are useful for internal doors. You can even make one yourself from the leg of an old pair old jeans.
- The Energy Saving Trust has more tips on how to tackle different types of draughts and how to conserve heat in your home.
The big picture
In the UK, 17% of greenhouse gas emissions come from home heating.
You could save around £40 a year by draught-proofing your windows and doors.
Sources:
Heat and Buildings Strategy, HM Government, 2021, PDF (6.40 MB)
The Energy Saving Trust
Why is this action beneficial?
Save energy
By preventing heat from escaping through gaps, you’ll make your home more energy efficient. You’ll stay warmer for longer, which will allow you to turn your thermostat down.
Save money
Draught-proofing your home reduces the need to turn the heating on to stay warm, cutting your energy bills in the process.
Improve health
By keeping your home warmer and free from chilly draughts, you can reduce the risk of developing respiratory issues and other health problems caused by living in cold, damp conditions.
Reduce emissions
Heating your home doesn’t have to also heat the planet. Most central heating runs on carbon-intensive sources so lowering your heating use reduces these carbon emissions.
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