Draught Proofing
Why Is Draught Proofing Important?
Draught Proofing is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to save energy and money. Draughts allow cold air in and warm air out which means you will need to keep your heating on longer and higher to compensate. Ventilation in a property is important to reduce condensation and damp but ventilation should be controllable, i.e. you can let fresh air in when it’s needed. Draughts are basically uncontrolled ventilation – cold air can enter the property and warm air can escape – all of the time. Blocking draughts around windows, doors, fireplaces, loft hatches, floor boards etc can reduce the amount of warm air that escapes which means the property stays warmer for longer so you wont need your heating on for as long or as high.
Types of Draught Proofing
There are different types of Draught Proofing depending on your requirements, including self-adhesive foam strips and PVC or metal strips with rubber or brush seals, available from Wickes, Homebase, Screwfix, Toolstation etc. They are low cost, ranging from pence per metre to a few pounds per metre and fairly easy to install.
For sliding sash windows, very common in older properties, foam strips and brushes tacked onto the window frame don’t always work well. Purpose built brush systems can be fitted into the window frame providing a much more effective and tidier solution.
Whichever type of draught proofing you choose, make sure it fits properly. Ill fitting draught excluders will either not work at all or they could affect how the window opens and closes.
