Chilly draughts can quickly become a problem during the cold months if not dealt with. Whether you have a draughty window or more inconspicuous gaps in your home that let warm air out and cold air in, you should start thinking about sealing these as soon as possible.
If you don’t have time to draughtproof your home or would prefer to leave this job to the professionals, today is your lucky day! At the Handy Squad, our London handymen offer professional draught proofing and many other odd jobs. Contact us today on 0800-0 12 12 12 or book online.
What is draughtproofing?
Draughtproofing is the method of finding and sealing draughts. Draughts are “a current of air that comes into a place in an undesirable way.” as explained by Collins Dictionary. If you’ve ever been at home watching a film and felt a chilly breeze – no, it wasn’t a ghost – it was most likely a draught.
These unwanted gaps are uncontrolled. By having air openings in your home, cold air comes in and warm air is let out and wasted. By sealing these gaps, your home will be more comfortable, cosy and energy-efficient.
What are the benefits of draughtproofing?
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- Keeps your home warm and cosy
- Saves money on energy bills
- Uses less energy to heat your home
- Helps reduce damp and condensation
- Makes your home energy efficient
How to check for draughts?
The best way to check for draughts is by touch. Walk around your home and feel the sides of your doors, windows and other openings if you can feel chilly breezes coming from the outside. If you can, you’ve found a draught! Unwanted and uncovered gaps can be found in other areas, such as keyholes, cat flaps, letterboxes, floorboards, chimneys, skirting boards and much more.
How to draughtproof doors.
Your front door might be letting a lot of heat escape from a variety of areas – keyhole, letterbox and gaps around the edges and bottom. So, it’s important to consider draughtproofing all of these areas.
Keyhole – to make sure there are no chilly draughts coming in from the gap on your keyhole, purchase a keyhole cover. It will be very easy to install.
Letterbox – similarly to keyhole covers, letterboxes also can be sealed with letterbox covers, letterbox flaps or brushes. Keep in mind to purchase the right size letterbox flap for your letterbox.
Bottom gap – you can fit a brush strip at the bottom of your door or simply purchase a draught excluder (which come in a variety of styles and colours to match your décor!) that you can replace whenever you want.
Side gaps – to seal the side gaps of your front door, you can do the same as you did with your standard windows, to fit foam strip around the edges.
How to draughtproof windows.
Depending on the type of windows you have, there are various ways of sealing draughts.
For sliding sash windows, metal or plastic brush strips are recommended. You might choose to fit brush strips yourself or contact a professional to take care of it. Maybe your sash windows are quite outdated and highly draughty, it’s time to replace them. Our London carpenters can fix sash windows and replace sash windows.
For other windows, you can purchase draughtproofing strips that will stick around the window frame and block out any gaps. These are easy to install, so you can draughtproof your windows in an afternoon. If you have gaps on windows that don’t open, consider using silicone sealant instead.
Again, if you need any help draughtproofing your home, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team. We are happy and ready to help. Book online today or give our team a call on 0800-0 12 12 12 and let us know how we can help.
Disclaimer
At the Handy Squad we strongly advise that you always take safety precautions into consideration when undertaking a DIY project. We also strongly suggest that you closely read and follow the instructions, that are provided by the manufacturer, of any building materials, products or tools you use for your projects.
Our aim is to provide you with clear and correct instructions, so that you can easily complete any DIY project you desire. However, please note that the information we provide should only be used as a guideline and that some information within the text may not be entirely accurate.
When using our articles for information and advice, please note that it is your own responsibility to determine whether you are capable of undertaking and executing the task you wish to complete.
Before starting a DIY task, it is essential that you inform yourself of any existing building, gas, water and electrical works regulations. If you were to have any further concerns, we recommend that you complete additional research and/or contact the necessary professional body.
We also strongly recommend that a qualified tradesperson completes the relevant safety tests and checks on any DIY work you have completed.
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