Draughts in a home can be pesky invaders, robbing you of warmth and comfort during the colder winter months. Here, we’re exploring the common problems we often find in many houses. In this case a three bedroom home.
While every home is unique, certain issues tend to reoccur. Let’s dive into the world of draughtproofing!
Windows, Friction Stays and Replacements
If a window doesn’t shut properly and is draughty when closed, this is usually due to a slightly broken friction stay. Replacement double-glazed windows are not maintenance free, they need cleaning including the jambs and friction stays. The stays need lubricating too.
It is such a shame that we are seeing so many draughts coming in around the frames of replacement windows, over, around the sides and under the sills. In a recent house visit, they had fitted internal over windowsill boards. Those had draughts coming in under them, straight in from under the outside sill and then under the new over-sill boards. Even without new inside window boards draughts often enter under the outside windowsill and come out indoors under the window board, typically above a radiator. This is just one of many ‘in-house winter cooling systems’.
Lofts, Doors, Letters and Pipes
Loft traps often have no draught strips and are sometimes left uninsulated, and often have draughts between the architrave and ceiling. Front doors have draughts under their frames. Letter plates can also be very draughty. Holes around kitchen waste pipes are too common, letting air through from the outside.
Another common one is holes around pipes in the airing cupboard ceiling to the loft or outside. Ceilings can also have cracks at the corners between the walls and ceiling and holes from where pipes have been taken out, all draughty and letting heat out.
Air Vents, Extractor fans and Trickle Ventilators
Air vents, air bricks and extractor fans can all be sources of draughts as well, mostly the air vents are a legacy left from a past generation. Vents in bedrooms and vents for boilers have long since been removed.
Then there is the bane of the DraughtBusters lives lately, ‘trickle ventilators’, these were intended to allow some ventilation, but the problem we are finding all too often is that they are draughty when closed! This is exactly what we don’t want and providing the window casements have two position handles, we have no hesitation in sealing them up to eliminate the unwanted draughts.
Recognise any of these?
You may recognise some of these in your own home. Don’t forget you can reach out to DraughtBusters for support and find out if you are eligible for free support. Alternatively, check out all our DIY Advice online
.