Door and window draught insulation

What is draught insulation?

Draught insulation is a cheap and effective way to save you energy and money by stopping heat escaping from your home. By blocking any gaps where heat can escape and cold air can get in, you'll keep your home temperature just right all year round.

Making sure your home has door insulation and window insulation means you keep the cold air from entering your home and the warm air from escaping.

Where can I find the draughts in my home?

You'll find draughts anywhere that gaps can be found. You can usually find them around:

Windows
Doors
Keyholes
Letterboxes
Floorboards
Lofts
Unused chimneys
Electrical fittings on walls and ceilings
Garage door
Pipework that travels out of your home.

These can all be blocked up with different kinds of draught excluders. There's lots to choose from.

Window Insulation

Types of window insulation to choose from:

Foam strips for windows: You can get a roll of sticky foam that you can stick around your window edges. It's usually cheap and available in hardware and home shops.
Spray foam sealant: you can get an aerosol spray foam that you can spray into gaps.

Door Insulation

Types of door insulation to choose from:

Letterbox brush strip: if you have a letterbox in your front door and it leads straight into your home then it could be a big draught source. You can get a brush strip for inside the letterbox that will minimise the amount of air going through, but the postman will still be able to get the letters through.
Draught excluder: these are like a cushion and lay along the bottom of your door. You can get lots of different styles that will match your decor. They're usually filled with beans like a bean bag and aren't attached to the door.
Keyhole cover: these are small metal discs that are cheap and can be fitted over the keyhole.

Things to know when thinking about draught exclusion

You should be careful when choosing draught exclusion in kitchens and bathrooms. You need to make sure you ventilate these rooms well to avoid moisture build up that can result in damp. So if you have draught exclusion in these rooms, make sure the insulation is counteracted with good ventilation.

Make sure you don't block any deliberately placed ventilation points – such as extractor fans, grilles or wall vents.

The same goes for any room with a fireplace. Any rooms that have a fire need to well ventilated to avoid fumes from the fire becoming dangerous in your home. A good idea is that when the fire isn't in use, think of temporary draught excluders like chimney balloons.

You can do DIY draught-proofing for small jobs, but consider hiring a professional if you're not sure or it's a bigger job. They'll know the right areas to block and have the right materials.