With temperatures plummeting to -5°C in Ireland this week, it’s essential to take quick action to keep your home warm and comfortable. Draughts can make your house feel even colder, causing your heating system to work harder and driving up energy costs. Fortunately, there are several simple, low-cost ways to draught-proof your home and keep the chill at bay. Here are five quick wins to tackle draughts and improve your home’s insulation.
1. Seal Gaps Around Doors and Windows
One of the most common sources of draughts is the gaps around doors and windows. These small leaks allow cold air to enter and warm air to escape. Start by inspecting the seals around your doors and windows. If they’re worn or damaged, replace them with new weatherstripping or draught-proofing tape. For doors, consider adding a draught excluder at the bottom to prevent air from sneaking in underneath. Window film or heavy curtains can also act as an additional barrier against cold air.
2. Use Draught Stoppers for Chimneys and Vents
If your home has a chimney or vent, check whether air is leaking through these openings. Chimney draughts can be especially significant in colder months, but you can easily block them with a chimney balloon or cap when the fireplace isn’t in use. Similarly, if your vents are old or loose, installing a vent cover or seal can help reduce draughts from these areas.
3. Plug Gaps in Floors and Skirting Boards
Gaps between floorboards or where the skirting boards meet the walls can also allow cold air to seep in. For a quick fix, use draught-proofing strips or foam sealant to fill these gaps. Floorboard gaps can be sealed with a combination of filler or silicone-based sealant, which will help improve insulation and make your home more energy efficient. In older homes, where gaps may be more prominent, this is an especially effective solution.
4. Insulate Your Loft Hatch
An often-overlooked source of draughts is the loft hatch. Warm air rises, and if the loft hatch isn’t properly sealed, heat can escape, making your home feel colder. To solve this, you can use draught-proofing strips around the edges of the hatch or even a thermal curtain or cover that drapes over it. Ensuring the hatch is well insulated can make a noticeable difference in how warm your home feels.
5. Seal Gaps Around Pipes and Cables
Check areas where pipes, cables, or wires enter or exit your home, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms. These gaps can create draughts that allow cold air to flow inside. You can use silicone sealant, expanding foam, or specific pipe insulation to fill these holes. Not only will this keep your home warmer, but it will also improve energy efficiency, as you won’t be wasting heat through these tiny openings.
Long-Term Measures: Deep Retrofitting for Future Comfort
While these quick draught-proofing measures can provide instant relief from the cold, it’s important to think about long-term solutions for a more sustainable, energy-efficient home. Deep retrofitting involves making significant upgrades to your home’s insulation, such as adding external wall insulation, installing high-performance windows, or improving your heating system with modern technologies like heat pumps. Though the initial investment can be higher, deep retrofitting will drastically reduce heat loss and energy bills, ensuring that next winter your home remains comfortably warm without relying on temporary fixes.
Contact us for more information or a consultation. Let’s make your home energy-efficient together!