Draughtproof your whole house before winter — HomeGraft

A multi-phase draughtproofing project that works room by room, from vents to chimney, over several weekends.

Guides in this project

01Keep airbricks and vents clear when draughtproofing 02Draughtproof a front door with brush and foam seals 03Fit a letterbox draught excluder 04Seal the gap between skirting and floor 05Fill gaps between floorboards 06Draughtproof a casement window with self-adhesive strip 07Draughtproof a sash window 08Fit secondary glazing film 09Draughtproof a loft hatch 10Block chimney draughts with a chimney balloon

DP-01Plan the whole job and buy in orderWalk every room with a torch and a lit incense stick or tissue to feel draughts, and list which guides you'll need room by room. Buy materials in batches as you reach each phase rather than all at once, since quantities depend on how many doors, windows and floorboards you have. Budget the whole project to run over 2-3 weekends and expect a total spend of roughly £150-£350 for an average three-bedroom house. Keep receipts; if a window turns out rotten or a chimney flue is still in use, you may need to call in a trade partway through.

1 each · Torch

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1 pack · Incense sticks or tissue paper (for draught testing)

1 set · Notepad and tape measure

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DP-02Clear and check airbricks and vents firstDo this phase before any other sealing work, because it's easy to accidentally block background ventilation once you start draughtproofing elsewhere. Follow Keep airbricks and vents clear when draughtproofing to check which vents must stay open and which can be adjusted. Building Regulations (Approved Document F) require background ventilation in many homes, so don't permanently block an airbrick without providing ventilation some other way.

RULES

1 each · Vent brush

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2 each · Replacement airbrick grille

1 each · Telescopic vent sleeve

KNOW THE RULES

Don't block airbricks or trickle vents that provide required background ventilation under Building Regulations Part F.

DP-03Seal the front and back doorsFit brush and foam seals to external doors next, since doors are usually the biggest single draught source in a house. Follow Draughtproof a front door with brush and foam seals for each external door. If you need to drill into a masonry door frame or the surrounding wall, check for cables and pipes with a detector first and still expect something to be there.

RULES

2 set · Door brush seal kit

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4 metre · Foam seal strip

1 pack · Screws

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KNOW THE RULES

Check for cables and pipes before drilling into a masonry door frame or reveal.

DP-04Fit letterbox draught excludersFit a letterbox excluder while you're already working on the same door. Follow Fit a letterbox draught excluder to pick a brush or flap type that matches your letterbox size. Check behind the letterbox for any doorbell or alarm wiring before drilling new fixing holes.

RULES

1 each · Letterbox draught excluder

1 pack · Screws

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KNOW THE RULES

Check for hidden doorbell or alarm wiring behind the letterbox plate before drilling.

DP-05Seal skirting-to-floor gapsMove inside and seal gaps along skirting boards, room by room, starting with the coldest rooms. Follow Seal the gap between skirting and floor for the method and sealant choice. Sockets and cables often run just above skirting height, so check for cables and pipes with a detector before drilling any new fixings, and still expect something to be there.

RULES

3 tube · Flexible decorator's caulk

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1 each · Sealant gun

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10 metre · Skirting draught strip (optional)

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KNOW THE RULES

Check for cables and pipes before drilling near skirting, as cables often run at this height.

DP-06Fill gaps between floorboardsFill floorboard gaps next, working room by room on any timber floors. Follow Fill gaps between floorboards for the filler or rope-and-sealant method. If you need to lift any boards to reach below, check for cables and pipes with a detector first, and know roughly where your main water and gas pipes run.

RULES

1 pack · Flexible floor filler or draught-proofing rope

2 tube · Sealant

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KNOW THE RULES

Check for cables and pipes before lifting floorboards.

DP-07Draughtproof casement windowsWork through casement windows room by room, fitting self-adhesive strip to each frame. Follow Draughtproof a casement window with self-adhesive strip for every window. If any frame is soft, rotten or won't close properly, get a joiner to check it before you seal it, since sealing a faulty window can trap damp inside.

6 metre · Self-adhesive foam or brush strip

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1 pack · Cleaning wipes

DP-08Draughtproof sash windowsSash windows need a different approach, so treat them as their own phase. Follow Draughtproof a sash window, which usually means fitting brush strips into the box frame grooves. If the sash cords are frayed, a weight is missing, or the frame is rotten, call a joiner or sash window specialist before continuing, since draughtproofing won't fix a sash that doesn't run properly.

1 set per window · Sash brush strip kit

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1 pack · Fixing pins

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DP-09Fit secondary glazing filmAdd secondary glazing film to the draughtiest or single-glazed windows once the frames themselves are sealed. Follow Fit secondary glazing film for the double-sided tape and shrink-film method. If you fix a timber batten into the window reveal with screws, check for cables and pipes with a detector first, since lighting cables can run close to window openings.

RULES

1 kit per window · Secondary glazing film kit

1 roll · Double-sided tape

KNOW THE RULES

Check for cables and pipes before screwing a batten into a window reveal.

DP-10Draughtproof the loft hatchMove up to the loft hatch, which is often the biggest single heat leak in the ceiling. Follow Draughtproof a loft hatch to fit a foam seal and a stronger catch. Loft lighting cables often run close to the hatch opening, so check for cables with a detector before drilling any new fixings, and don't cover the eaves ventilation gap with insulation while you're up there.

RULES

1 pack · Foam hatch seal strip

1 each · Hatch catch or turnbuckle

KNOW THE RULES

Check for cables before drilling into the loft hatch frame or surrounding ceiling.

DP-11Block the chimney, if it's genuinely unusedOnly do this once you're certain the flue is completely out of use. Follow Block chimney draughts with a chimney balloon for fitting and positioning. If there's an open fire, woodburner or gas fire connected to that flue, get it checked and swept by a qualified chimney sweep, or by a Gas Safe engineer if it's a gas appliance, before you fit anything — blocking a flue on a working appliance is a carbon monoxide risk.

RULES

1 each · Chimney balloon

1 each · Carbon monoxide alarm (if not already fitted)

KNOW THE RULES

Never block a flue that serves a working open fire, woodburner or gas appliance; get it checked by a chimney sweep or Gas Safe engineer first.

DP-12Re-check the whole house after a few weeksGive the house a few weeks to settle, ideally through a cold spell, then re-check with your torch or incense stick for any draughts you missed. Watch bathrooms, kitchens and bedroom windows for condensation or a musty smell, since sealing a house tightly can expose ventilation problems that weren't obvious before. If you see new damp or mould, reopen one of the vents from phase one or run extractor fans more, rather than sealing further.

1 each · Hygrometer (optional)

1 bottle · Mould-resistant spray (if needed)

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