subject: Draught Exclusion Advice – Floorboards, Doors and Windows [print this page] Draught Exclusion Advice Floorboards, Doors and Windows
With recent price hikes in gas and electric, everybody is looking to save money on heating costs, but the advantages of saving on heating aren't just financial; more and more people are aware of the effects that high fuel and energy consumption can have on the environment, and many of us wish to live a little more eco-friendly, if possible.
There are, of course, many eco friendly products that can help reduce heating costs, from radiator panels to energy monitors, but often on area that gets overlooked around the home is the effect of draughts.
Draughts, and ill-fitting doors, windows and even floorboards not only let cold air come through but also allows heat to escape and with it your hard earned money as you struggle to keep your home warm.
But draught prevention is easy and inexpensive to achieve and the secret is to think of all the areas where heat can escape and cold air can get in:
Doors and Windows
Perhaps the most obvious area for draughts are ill-fitting doors and windows, particularly in older homes. A badly fitted door will not only allow the heat to escape but the cold draughts that blow under will chill your home and lead to an uncomfortable time.
Draught excluders have moved on a long way in recent years and under door draught excluders are both unobtrusive and easy to fit and will cause no problems in opening and closing the doors.
Window insulating film is also unobtrusive and once fitted will prevent any cold air from getting into the home and prevent the heat from escaping.
Floorboard draught Excluders
One area commonly missed when considering draughts are floor boards; however, cold air can blow directly under a houses foundations and up through the floorboards, forcing the heat out and lowering the temperature of the room.
Fortunately, floorboard draught excluders are available, and not only are they inexpensive they can be fitted by almost anyone. These fill up the gaps in the floorboards and are almost invisible once installed allowing you to both retain the aesthetics of your natural flooring but also keep the draughts out and ensuring your home is warm and toasty, no matter the weather.
