Draught-proofing and insulation on a budget: a guide for renters and owners

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Quick answer

The cheapest, quickest wins are sealing gaps around doors, windows, letterboxes, keyholes, floorboards and unused chimneys. The Energy Saving Trust estimates draught-proofing windows, doors and floors could save around £55 a year in Great Britain, and a chimney draught excluder around £45 a year, using materials that cost from about £2 a metre. Renters can do most of this with removable products. Owners should then look at loft, hot water cylinder and pipe insulation, and check gov.uk for grants.

Find the draughts first

On a cold, windy day, walk around your home and feel for moving air with the back of your hand, or hold a damp finger near likely gaps. Common culprits:

• Gaps around external doors and the letterbox
• Window frames, especially sash windows and old seals
• Gaps between floorboards and under skirting boards
• Unused open fireplaces
• Loft hatches
• Holes where pipes go through outside walls

What to keep open

Draught-proofing is about stopping uncontrolled air leaks. Some ventilation is essential to keep air healthy, stop condensation and damp, and let gas appliances work safely. Never block:

• Air bricks and wall vents
• Trickle vents in window frames
• Extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms
• Vents for boilers, gas fires or other fuel-burning appliances

Take extra care in kitchens and bathrooms, where most moisture is produced. If you have damp or condensation problems, or a gas fire or open-flue appliance, get advice before sealing up rooms.

Costs and savings at a glance

These are the Energy Saving Trust’s estimates for typical homes in Great Britain. Costs are for materials only and vary by product and home; figures are estimates, not guarantees.

Fix	Rough cost	Estimated saving per year (GB)	Renter-friendly?
Draught-proofing windows, doors and floors	from around £2 a metre for strips	around £55	Mostly, with removable products
Chimney draught excluder	around £25	around £45	Yes, removable
Letterbox draught excluder	around £5	included in draught-proofing	Usually, ask first if fixing
Radiator reflector panels	around £25 to £30	around £18	Yes, slide behind radiators
Topping up a hot water cylinder jacket from 25mm to 80mm	around £15 to £30	around £45	Yes

For comparison, turning your thermostat down by one degree could save around £120 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust, and costs nothing.

DIY draught-proofing, room by room

External doors

• Bottom of the door: fit a brush or hinged-flap strip. Browse door draught excluders on Amazon.
• Around the frame: self-adhesive foam or rubber (P- or E-profile) strips.
• Letterbox: a brush or flap excluder on the inside.
• Keyhole: a simple cover that drops over it.

Internal doors

A fabric “sausage” draught excluder at the bottom of doors to unheated rooms keeps heat in the room you’re using. No fixing needed.

Windows

• Opening windows: self-adhesive strips around the frame where it meets the opening part. Choose the right thickness so the window still closes.
• Sash windows: brush strips are usually better than foam. Specialist sash draught-proofing is a job for a professional.
• Window insulation film: a clear film stretched over the frame with tape and a hairdryer, creating an extra layer of trapped air. It’s cheap and removable, which suits single-glazed rented homes. Browse window insulation film kits on Amazon.
• Thick or thermal-lined curtains closed at dusk help too.

Floors and skirting boards

Gaps between floorboards and under skirting can be filled with flexible filler or silicone sealant (owners), or covered with rugs (renters).

Chimneys

An unused open fireplace lets a lot of warm air escape. A chimney draught excluder (an inflatable or wool balloon) sits inside the flue. The Energy Saving Trust says it shouldn’t fully block the chimney so there’s still some ventilation, and you must remove it before lighting a fire.

Loft hatch

Fit draught strips around the edge and stick insulation board on the top of the hatch.

A weekend draught-proofing plan

If you want to tackle it in one go:

1. Saturday morning: do the draught hunt and measure doors and windows so you buy the right length of strip.
2. Saturday afternoon: fit door brushes, letterbox and keyhole covers, and strips on the doors you use most.
3. Sunday morning: do the windows, starting with the coldest rooms, and fit a chimney balloon if you have an unused fireplace.
4. Sunday afternoon: sort the loft hatch, put reflector panels behind radiators on outside walls, and lag any exposed hot water pipes.

Clean surfaces before fitting self-adhesive strips, or they won’t stick well in cold weather.

Cheap insulation jobs (mainly for owners)

• Hot water cylinder jacket: the Energy Saving Trust recommends insulation at least 80mm thick.
• Pipe lagging: foam tubes on exposed hot water pipes, especially in unheated spaces. It also helps stop pipes freezing.
• Radiator reflector panels: foil-backed panels behind radiators on external walls reflect heat back into the room.
• Loft insulation: if your loft is accessible and has little or no insulation, topping it up is one of the most effective improvements. Keep the loft ventilated and leave gaps under the eaves clear.

Bigger jobs such as cavity wall, solid wall or underfloor insulation need a professional. Check gov.uk’s “find ways to save energy in your home” service for recommendations and current grants, as schemes change.

If you rent

You can do a lot without changing the property permanently:

• Free-standing draught excluders, removable brush strips and letterbox covers
• Chimney balloons
• Window insulation film
• Thick curtains, door curtains and rugs
• Radiator reflector panels and a cylinder jacket

Check your tenancy agreement before fixing anything with screws or permanent adhesive, and ask your landlord in writing. Tell your landlord about broken seals, rotten frames, faulty boilers or damp, as repairs are usually their responsibility. Citizens Advice explains your rights on repairs and damp.

Grants and help

• Gov.uk’s energy efficiency service lists current schemes, such as help from energy suppliers through the Energy Company Obligation, and grants for heating upgrades.
• Your council may run or know about local insulation schemes.
• Benefits-linked help: if you’re on a low income, you may qualify for extra support. See our guide to the Warm Home Discount and other winter payments.

Draught-proofing is one part of the picture: our main guide to saving money on energy bills this winter covers heating settings and tariffs.

Sources

• Energy Saving Trust: Draught-proofing
• Energy Saving Trust: Insulating tanks, pipes and radiators
• Energy Saving Trust: How to save energy if you rent your home
• Energy Saving Trust: Quick tips to save energy
• GOV.UK: Find ways to save energy in your home
• Citizens Advice: Grants and benefits to help you pay your energy bills