Draught proofing doors and windows

Draughts in your home are both uncomfortable and unhealthy. More so than a generally cold home, they can cause colds and chills, particularly in children, the elderly and other more vulnerable people. They also run up your power bills by increased need for heating and cooling, so repairing them can not only be a cost saving as well as health protecting measure, it is also likely to be relatively simple.

Draughts from doors and windows

The most common source of draughts in homes is the seals around doors and window. The causes can vary, and differ depending on the age and condition of your home. Older homes may have warping of door or window frames, or even of the whole house, particularly in times of drought when the dry ground shrinks and moves under the building.

Weathering can cause draughts in older, or even in poorly designed newer, buildings, by warping wooden door and window frames or by causing damage to seals or aging of putty.

Inadequate design or cheap construction of buildings can result in doors and windows that simply don't fit sufficiently well in their frames and allow the flow of air through to the interior of the home.

How to draught proof doors and windows

The cure for the draught depends on the reason, and this will influence how easy it is to repair the problem. Structural problems may have to be rectified by a builder, but repairing seals and other minor problems can easily be done by the homeowner.

• Warping of wooden door and window frames, or damage to the building itself through weathering, drought or poor workmanship will need to be repaired by a professional builder. This may be very inexpensive or quite costly, depending on the extent of the structural problem
• Ensure that your home is well constructed by hiring a professional, licensed builder
• To find the source of a draught, feel with your hands and face (or use a lit candle and watch for flickering) for air moving around door and window edges
• Draughts around door or window seals can be excluded by using self adhesive foam or rubber strips, available from hardware stores.
• If you discover a gap between the frame and walls, use a silicone or latex sealant to close the space
• A draught excluder under a gappy door can be fitted by cutting the excluder to size and screwing it into place

Draught proofing: Final Tips

The time you will spend on draught proofing your home will be well worth it. Draughts from around or under doors and windows create an uncomfortable environment as well as a health hazard and a waste of heating and cooling energy. Repairing the problem can be as simple as filling gaps with easily available products from your local hardware store, so tackle this job before it makes your home uncomfortable and unhealthy.