‘Simple’: How to combat one of the biggest draught offenders for only £5
DRAUGHT-PROOFING a home is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to save energy and money. One expert has shared one of the "biggest" reasons why homes have draught and how much it'll cost to minimise the problem.
Tips on draught-proofing your house on a budget
With the recent news that two thirds of UK homes are too draughty, hot on the heels of Ofgem’s 54 percent energy price cap increase, millions of Britons will be wondering what they can do to help keep the heat in their homes for longer. There are many ways homeowners can improve the energy rating of their house, including replacing an old boiler and fitting double glazing, however these do not come cheap, and can result in a big bill from the offset.
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Although, if Britons are just looking for small tweaks to help reduce energy bills, Dean Mumford, Category Manager for Workshop, Seasonal & Consumables at Robert Dyas has pulled together some tips on how homeowners can minimise draughts around the home for under £100.
Dean explained how the main cause of draughts in UK homes are due to letterboxes.
He said: “One of the biggest draught offenders is your letterbox.
“Over time, the openings can become loose and let precious warm air out – and of course cause cold air to seep into your home.”
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The expert suggested purchasing a cover for the letterbox to avoid this issue.
Dean said: “A simple way to combat this is to invest in a letterbox cover to the inside of your door.
“Letterbox covers come with rubber seals around the openings to ensure they clamp tightly around your letterbox, thus resulting in a tighter fit and less air coming in – or going out of –your home.
“What’s more, they’re simple to install, and you can pick one up for around £10.”
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Doors can also be an issue in the home when it comes to draughts.
Dean suggested installing a simple door brush to the bottom to reduce the amount of air that comes in and out of the property.
He said: “All it takes is a couple of screws to attach it to your door, and the bristles act as a barrier to keep your precious heat where it should be.
“Not only are they easy to install, but they can also cost less than £5.
“If you don’t want to install one to the door – or are unable to – a traditional draught excluder can do the trick.”
Windows can be another culprit when it comes to draughts.
Over time, the mechanisms can become looser, meaning they don’t close as tightly as they once did, so need to be tightened.
Alternatively, the window hinges may need replacing if they’re old.
Dean said: “Both issues can be easily remedied with a screwdriver or an Allen key (depending on the issue) and a YouTube video.
“If you do need to replace your hinges, this is probably less expensive than you may think as you can pick up a pair for under £10 online. “
This is much cheaper than replacing an entire window.
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For those who live in an older house with gorgeous original features, the chances are, they are losing warm air through their floor – especially if they have wooden floors.
Older houses tend to have suspended floors to allow air to circulate.
Although this is great for stopping damp, it can cause havoc in winter.
To ensure homeowners are not throwing money away, Dean suggested that they make sure their floors are airtight.
He added: “For about £5, you can pick up a pot of wood filler, which you simply work into the cracks and leave it to dry.
“Once it’s set, you can treat this just like your normal wood floor, sanding, varnishing and painting it for a professional finish.”
