Draught Proofing is slowly but surely becoming a basic need of every household in the UK. More and more houses belonging to the era of 1950s and 60s need draught proofing to be done so that house remains nice and warm. Growth of mould in the house which is a very serious problem can be prevented by draught proofing. Draught Proofing helps in proper ventilation of the room thus preventing the rise in humidity levels or occurrence of condensation. Draughts have been recognized as the major source of energy wastage in the country. Increase in draughts means increase in cold air leaking in. And this put a lot of pressure on the heater which in turn escalates your heating bill. Controlled ventilation preventing condensation as well as trick ventilation is what is actually required.

So let us move to the 10 things to be kept in mind. Firstly, draught strip the windows with DIY brushes or brush strips. If there is a sash window, a specialist must be consulted to fit recessed weather stripping.

Secondly, rooms having boilers or gas fire should not be taken into consideration for draught proofing. Also blocking of ventilators is not a good choice as ventilation is very important to get fresh oxygen for the body.

Thirdly, in order to fill the internal and external gaps around the window frames, it is advisable to use acrylic sealant or decorator’s caulk. But precaution should be taken that the sealant is kept smooth and neat so that rainwater is not trapped by it.

Fourthly, repair the window frames suffering from any sorts of damages. Also check the functioning of the windows to ensure proper ventilation in the room.

Fifthly, windows painted shut should be opened. Also sash cords for sliding sash windows should be immediately replaced.

Sixthly, if you plan on draught proofing of the windows on the upper storey, go for it only if you have hinges which aid in easy and safe removal of the window sashes with absolutely no risk of falling.

Seventhly, In case absence of air vents in a room, it is safe to ask a joiner to fit a trickle vent in the top or side of the window frame. But if this is not plausible, draught strip the sides and the bottom of the opening parts of the window frame.

Eighthly, fit in an exhaust fan in the kitchen which can throw out all the moist air outside the room. The air should find a passage through a wall, window, chimney, or roof.

Ninthly, when in a kitchen, a multispeed extract over the hob is the best choice one can opt for. A bathroom fan with humidistat for auto switch-off is necessary for every bathroom.

And lastly, when you have completed the processes of sealing and draught proofing, consult a heating engineer in order to test the safety of fires and boilers via a flue gas spillage test.