How Do I Draught Proof My House?

By Cormac Breen

Content Manager

Cormac is Selectra.ie's energy expert along with being the chief content and editorial manager for the website. His aim is to help find the best deal for you and your home energy needs so that you save money on your annual bills. His knowledge and experience of the Irish energy market allows him to offer the best advice and insight into current prices, emerging trends and overall energy saving tips.

Draught proofing a house consists of sealing up any spaces or gaps where cold air is entering the house, and warm air is escaping. The most common places for draughts to occur are around windows, doors and chimneys. Draught proofing your home can be a relatively inexpensive project with the necessary equipment available in most DIY stores. A draught proofed home is a more energy efficient home helping to lower energy costs. If you are looking to switch electricity provider, you can call 📞(01) 913 1771.

What Is Draught Proofing?

Draught proofing is the process of sealing up unwanted gaps and cracks in a home to prevent cold air from entering and warm air from escaping. Think of it as putting an airtight seal on your house.

While it's often confused with insulation, the two are different. Insulation prevents heat loss through the building's fabric (walls, floors, roof) by slowing down heat transfer.

Draught proofing, on the other hand, deals with the movement of air itself, which can carry a significant amount of heat out of your home through a process called convection.

Addressing draughts is typically the most cost-effective first step in making a home more energy-efficient and comfortable, especially in Ireland, where older homes can be particularly leaky.

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Where Do Draughts Occur in My House?

Draughts can be found in many places, both obvious and not.

The most common areas for draughts to occur are:

• Windows: Gaps around the frame, between the sashes, or where the glass meets the frame.
• Doors: Gaps around the edges, through the keyhole, or under the door.
• Chimneys and Fireplaces: An open chimney acts like a large, constantly open vent, sucking warm air up and out.
• Floorboards and Skirting Boards: Older homes often have gaps between floorboards or where the skirting board meets the floor, letting cold air in from under the house.
• Loft Hatches: An unsealed loft hatch can be a major source of heat loss as warm air rises.
• Pipes and Electrical Fittings: Small gaps where pipes or electrical wires enter a room from an unheated space (like an attic or behind a wall).
• Airbricks and Vents: While necessary for ventilation, damaged or improperly sealed airbricks can be a source of draughts.

There is a simple test to find where a draught may be coming from in your home.

On a windy day, hold a lit candle or an incense stick near a suspected gap and watch for the flame or smoke to flicker.

How Do I Draught Proof a Window?

Draught proofing windows is a high-impact task that can significantly improve comfort.

1. Self-Adhesive Foam or Rubber Strips: The easiest and most common DIY solution. These strips are cut to size and stuck to the inside of the window frame where the window closes against it. It's a cheap fix, but the strips can wear out or become unstuck over time.
2. Brush Strips: Ideal for sash windows where there is a sliding movement. These have a metal or plastic backing with a brush that creates a seal while still allowing the window to be opened and closed. They are more durable than foam strips.
3. Silicone Sealant or Caulk: For windows that don't open, you can apply a bead of silicone sealant or decorator's caulk around the frame to create a permanent seal. This is a very effective solution for fixed windows.
4. Window Film: A DIY window insulation kit involves applying a clear plastic film to the inside of the window frame and shrinking it with a hairdryer. This creates an insulating layer of still air, similar to double glazing, and is a great temporary measure.
5. Heavy Curtains: While not a permanent seal, heavy, lined curtains or thermal blinds can act as a significant barrier against cold air, especially if they reach the floor.

How Do I Draught Proof a Door?

Your front door is a primary entry point for draughts.

Addressing it is an essential part of draught proofing.

• Draught Strips: Apply self-adhesive foam, rubber, or brush strips to the door frame where the door closes. Ensure you choose a strip thickness that provides a tight seal without making it difficult to close the door.
• Door Bottom Strips: For the gap under the door, a hinged flap or a brush strip screwed to the bottom of the door is highly effective. Alternatively, a simple fabric door snake or draught excluder placed at the base can be used as a temporary or quick fix.
• Keyhole Cover: A small metal disc that pivots over the keyhole can prevent a surprising amount of cold air from coming through.
• Letterbox Brush or Flap: A well-fitted brush or a spring-mounted flap on the inside of the letterbox will keep the wind out while still allowing post to be delivered.

How Do I Prevent a Draught from a Chimney?

An open fireplace is one of the biggest sources of heat loss in a home.

Even with a closed damper, a lot of warm air can be lost.

• Chimney Balloon: This is an inflatable device that you push up into the chimney flue and inflate to create a tight seal. You must remember to remove it before lighting a fire.
• Chimney Sheep: A more breathable alternative to the balloon, this product is made of dense wool and is inserted into the chimney to block draughts while allowing a small amount of ventilation to prevent condensation.
• Permanent Sealing: If you never use the fireplace, you can have a professional permanently seal it off. This is a more involved solution but is the most effective for a disused chimney.
• Chimney Cap: A chimney cap, installed by a professional on the top of the chimney pot, can block a lot of wind and rain while still allowing some airflow.

Is Draught Proofing Worth It?

Absolutely. Draught proofing is arguably the single most cost-effective and impactful home energy upgrade you can make, offering a rapid return on investment and immediate improvements in comfort.

In a country like Ireland, where older housing stock is prevalent and energy prices are a significant household expense, addressing draughts is a no-brainer.

The value of draught proofing goes beyond just the numbers on your heating bill. It contributes significantly to the feeling of warmth and comfort in your home. A house with draughts, even if the heating is on, will feel cold and uncomfortable, with noticeable cold spots and a constant feeling of a breeze.

By sealing these leaks, you create a more stable and pleasant indoor environment, allowing your central heating system to work more efficiently and effectively. You are no longer heating the outdoors.

How Much Does Draught Proofing Cost?

The total cost of draught proofing your home will depend on multiple factors including:

• The extent of the project
• The size of your home
• Your budget
• Whether you choose the DIY option or a professional

DIY Costs:

The DIY route for draught proofing is incredibly affordable. Most of the materials you need are simple, widely available, and inexpensive.

You can find everything from self-adhesive foam strips to brush seals and silicone sealant at any Irish hardware store.

For a comprehensive DIY project, a homeowner could realistically spend between €30 and €100 on materials to tackle the main draughts in a standard Irish home.

Professional Costs:

While more expensive, hiring a professional can provide a more durable and aesthetically pleasing solution, particularly for period features like sliding sash windows.

A professional will use high-quality, long-lasting materials and can often address issues that someone doing it by themselves might miss or find difficult.

The choice is clear: for a quick, cheap, and effective solution, the DIY route is an excellent choice.

For a permanent, high-quality, and more aesthetically integrated result, particularly with period properties, professional services offer a worthwhile investment.

Will Draught Proofing Lower my Heating Bills?

The financial impact of draught proofing is significant and often underestimated. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and other energy experts consistently highlight draught proofing as one of the most effective ways to reduce heating bills.

While the exact figure varies based on your home’s size, age, and existing insulation, a common estimate is that you can save up to 20% on your heating costs.

Consider the average Irish gas bill is €1,500.

A 20% saving would equate to €300 per year.

1. DIY Payback: With a DIY investment of just €50, you could see a full return in just a couple of months.
2. Professional Payback: Even with a professional service costing €600, the payback period would only be about two years.

After the initial investment, every subsequent year represents a pure saving. This is a crucial point that makes draught proofing such a powerful tool in managing household finances.

It's a small, tangible action that leads to lasting financial benefits and a more comfortable living space.

Are There Alternatives to Draught Proofing?

While draught proofing is the first step, homeowners with a larger budget can consider more extensive upgrades for a more energy-efficient home.

These measures tackle heat loss through the building's fabric.

• Insulation: Upgrading your attic insulation, cavity wall insulation, or even external wall insulation will have the largest impact on your heating bills.
• New Windows and Doors: While expensive, replacing old, single-glazed windows and doors with modern, energy-efficient double or triple-glazed units can drastically reduce heat loss and improve your home's BER (Building Energy Rating).
• Heat Pump and Ventilation Systems: For a new build or a major renovation, installing a high-efficiency heat pump and a balanced mechanical ventilation system (MVHR) ensures a constant supply of fresh, filtered air while recovering up to 90% of the heat that would otherwise be lost.

By Cormac Breen

Content Manager

Cormac is Selectra.ie's energy expert along with being the chief content and editorial manager for the website. His aim is to help find the best deal for you and your home energy needs so that you save money on your annual bills. His knowledge and experience of the Irish energy market allows him to offer the best advice and insight into current prices, emerging trends and overall energy saving tips.