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Ensuring your home is properly insulated to both retain heat and keep out cold air is a crucial task to undertake if you want use energy in the most energy efficient way. It’s all well and good whacking on the heating, but if your home isn’t properly insulated and protected against draughts, can you end up just wasting money.
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The good news is that there are loads of cheap and easy ways to fully fortify your home. From draught excluders to floorboard gap fillers, here are some that are well worth trying out...
1
Fit draught excluders to the doors of any rooms you rarely use
This clever double-sided draught excluder stops cold air escaping underneath any doors, and has been cleverly designed to move with the door when it’s opened or closed. It’s well worth installing them to the doors of any lesser-used rooms, so you can keep the warmth just in the occupied areas of the house.
2
Block any gaps between your doors and their frames with this rubber seal
Suitable for use on windows, doors, and loft hatches, this seal will instantly stop draughts from coming through any gap — as long as it’s between 3mm and 5mm wide. Plus, it’s self-adhesive, so is totally suitable for renters.
3
Use a clever cover to stop cold air creeping through your keyhole
It may be a small space, but it’s still capable of letting in a breeze! Available in both gold and silver, this keyhole cover is suitable for both internal and external use.
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4
And while you’re at it, install an internal letter box draught excluder as well
Got a letterbox that’s constantly being rattled by the wind? Swap it out for this more hardy one that’s been fitted with clever brushes that prevent draughts from entering your home.
5
Use these clever weather strips to add more insulation to your windows
These sound and weather-proofing self-adhesive strips have been designed to work with a wide range of windows and sliding doors. They come in three different lengths, and also three different colours.
6
And for old sash windows, fill any gaps with this self-adhesive weather strip
But if you’ve got old-school sash windows, then use this insulating strip to plug any gap between the windows — as long as it’s less than 8mm.
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7
If you don’t have double glazing, this secondary glazing film is the next best thing
Dealing with flimsy windows? Use this nifty kit to give them a double glazing effect that’ll both prevent draughts, and keep the warm air inside.
8
Apply gap filler to the slots in your wooden floorboards
Wooden floorboards look gorgeous, but they aren’t great for insulation. So slot this spongy roll of filler between the gaps to prevent any pesky draughts. It requires no adhesive, is super flexible, and comes with a handy application tool.
9
When it comes to window treatments, go for floor-length thermal curtains
A lot of heat in the home is lost through the windows — especially if they aren’t double glazed. So be sure to hang thermally lined floor-length curtains that you can close in the evenings when it gets chilly. These ones come in lots of different cuts and colours, and have rave reviews.
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10
Consider if it might be worth properly insulating your loft
Did you know that 25% of heat is lost through the roof or loft space, if it’s not properly insulated? This roll of insulation is easy to install even if you’re a beginner, and reviewers say it doesn’t shed everywhere.
11
Put reflective foil behind your radiators to minimise heat loss through the walls
It turns out that you actually lose quite a lot of heat from a radiator through the wall it’s attached to. But thankfully, putting this reflective foil behind the radiator will reflect up to 95% of the heat back into the room.
12
And also install a radiator shelf to help further direct heat back into the room
Similarly, a simple radiator shelf will also help ensure heat is properly circulated around the room. This one requires no drilling, and also just makes a handy extra storage spot.
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13
And make the floors less cold by laying a large high-pile rug
Still not quite warm enough? Cover as much of the floor as possible with a large area rug to make sure those gaps are properly covered. For maximum cosiness, go for a high-pile option.
14
Close the door of the warm room you’re in and cover the gap with a draught excluder
Boasting a dense hollowfibre filling, and a cosy crushed velvet cover, this weighty draught excluder is well worth putting against the bedroom door at night, so the room stays nice and warm.
15
Fill in any holes or cracks in your walls with some ready-mixed filler
As well as being not very nice to look at, cracks and nail or drill holes will also hinder your home’s insulating abilities. So, fill them in with ease with this ready-mixed filler.
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16
Cover draughty garage and conservatory doors with this thermal magnetic curtain
Whether you’re dealing with a nasty draft coming from a garage door, or just want to preserve heat in the rooms you most frequently use, this clever curtain is just what you need. It comes in six different sizes, and doesn’t need to be fixed with nails.