Portability - Does the draught excluder remain permanently installed once fitted, or does this need to be removed e.g. chimney or fabric door draught excluders? If portable, how easy is it to move around and is it likely to become cumbersome when moving around inside the home? I did think about expanding foam, cutting off excessive would be easy and making blend in shouldn't be too hard althoug I did wonder if it would go a bit rigid over time compared to silicon....but I guess it'll paint over better than silicon ever would. Moving in 2002 to a small-holding in South Wales, providing as it did access to a wider range of natural resources, fanned his enthusiasm for sustainability. He went on to install renewable technology at the property, including biomass boiler and wind turbine. Choosing a new front door is another avenue to consider. 5. Add draught-proofing strips to windows and doors Gaps in floorboards themselves is pretty minimal as it's (nasty) chipboard panels and the underlay and carpet should help there.

Read on to find out what you can do in your own home – from filling in gaps around pipes to insulating your loft hatch. Plus, learn how to keep warm air in without compromising on ventilation. Draught proofing costs and savings If you are renting your home, it has to be fit for habitation and it’s your landlord’s responsibility to ensure this. If your house is too cold (or swelteringly hot) or damp, then this is a danger to your health and the landlord must make necessary repairs. Even if you're eager to draught proof your whole home, it’s important not to completely seal your property. There needs to be some air flowing in and out.The difference between draughts and ventilation is one of control. Draughts are uncontrolled, while ventilation is ours to switch on and off at will. Home ventilation in the form of extractor fans and cooker hoods will ensure that condensation is properly dealt with, at source. Alternatively, you could use a draught excluder. All sorts of shops sell draught excluders, or you could even make one yourself by filling a large piece of fabric with old clothes or rice.

Letterbox draught excluder - These are fitted inside your letter box to prevent draughts whilst maintaining relatively easy access for your postie. After searching locally and online, I found that none of the existing solutions were up to the job. The DIY options were messy and time-consuming, and the commercial products used permanent adhesives or sealants. Inspired, I started developing StopGap until I created a product good enough for my own home. Both employees and self-employed workers will pay less in National Insurance from next year, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced in today's Autumn Statement. We took into account what reviewers were saying regarding value for money, effectiveness and whether or not they were easy to install. About the author this initial burst of enthusiasm lead to him trying (and failing) to build a biogas digester to convert pig manure into fuel, at a Kent oast-house, his first conversion project.

Uninsulated homes lose a quarter of their heat through the roof, according to the Energy Saving Trust. Knowing how to insulate your home is the first step to stopping this and especially insulating your roof and loft. The first thing to assess when considering whether to draught-proof your floorboards is what the required finish is. For example the methods used to draught-proof floorboards under a carpet are different to those used to draught-proof stripped floorboards. It should be noted that even though carpet will help with draught-proofing, it is not 100% effective, and additional measures can still help. How do I draught-proof stripped floorboards? From investing in the best electric blanket to pre-warming beds with a hot water bottle, many of us are looking for cost-effective solutions to stay warm this winter without cranking up the central heating. With energy bills remaining high, when you do turn up the thermostat, the last thing you need is for all that precious heat to escape. Fitting the best draught excluders throughout your house can keep your home warmer and prevent cold air from getting in through doors, chimneys, windows and even the gaps in your floorboards.