Hold the palm of your hand up against the windows in your
home. If you feel cold air coming through, warm air is escaping.
In fact, in a typical
home 20 per cent of all heat loss is through ventilation and
draughts.
Draughtproofing is an easy, cost-effective way to reduce
heating bills. Most materials are available from DIY stores.
Check the quality of the products. It will affect their performance
and durability. They should conform to the standard BS 7386.
There are several types of materials available - from brushes,
foams and sealants to strips and shaped rubber or plastic.
Other things to think about:
- adequate ventilation is as important as draughtproofing -
and essential if you have solid fuel fires, gas fires or
a boiler with an open flue;
- ventilation is especially important in kitchens
and bathrooms;
- draught proof internal doors, if needed, but leave
kitchen and bathroom windows alone to keep condensation
under control;
- if condensation is a problem, an extractor fan will
help;
- open a window while cooking, running hot water or
drying clothes;
- trickle vents in the window frame provide background
ventilation - not usually enough on their own, but they
reduce the need to open windows;
- have chimneys swept regularly and check air bricks
for blockages.
| Cost of fitting - by Installer |
from £75 |
| Cost of fitting - DIY |
from £50 |
| Annual Saving on fuel bills |
around £20 |
| Costs recovered (Installer) |
around 4 years |
| Costs recovered (DIY) |
3-5 years |
Source of information is: The Energy Saving Trust January
2007.
