If your home is losing heat, it will inevitably be impacting on your energy bills. You will be upping the thermostat or running your heating for longer to counteract the heat loss, frittering money away to maintain a comfortable temperature.
There are lots of things you can do to improve the efficiency of your home – such as installing better insulation or upgrading your windows – but these cost both time and money. Luckily, there are less-invasive ways to reduce heat loss, and many can be done today with the right materials.
Give them a go to make your home feel warmer and less draughty, right away.
Use draught excluders
Putting draught excluders at the foot of your doors will keep heat in the room, and prevent pesky draughts. If you like to relax in a room with an external door, this is a must. They can also be used between rooms for the same reasons. Draught excluders are incredibly affordable, or can be easily DIY-ed (you can fill an old sock or trouser leg with wadding and something weighted to do the job). So, grab as many as you can to quickly improve the comfort of your home.

Curtains, everywhere
While blinds and more streamlined window dressings may fit the bill aesthetically, a thick pair of curtains will make a big difference to the efficiency of doors and windows. Swap lighter summer window dressings for thermal curtains in the colder months and hang a curtain over doors. You could also use curtains between rooms, or for cutting draughts at the bottom of stairs into open-plan spaces. If blinds are your only option, look for thermal designs that help keep heat in.
Block chimney draughts
If you don’t use your chimney, it could be a major source of heat loss. You can buy simple devices to put into your chimney to stop heat from escaping up there, such as a Chimney Sheep which is a breathable draught excluder made from wool. They cost around £20 and are easy to install. Other versions are available including the Chimney Balloon which you inflate to fit the gap.
Install draughtproofing strips
Check the seals around your doors and windows. Older styles such as wooden sashes may not have any draught seals at all, and even those that do may need replacing over time. Search for self-adhesive draught strips that you can stick around doors and windows to close off any gaps in minutes. You can also get brush-style draught strips to go at the foot of your door, such as these from Screwfix which start at as little as £6.
Don’t forget the letterbox
As they are often made from metal, letterboxes are the perfect thermal bridge between inside and outside and a regular source of cold spots. A simple upgrade to one with integrated draught-strips won’t cost you much more than £15 and will be easy to swap out on a DIY basis.