Ready to make your home cosier?

The best place to start is by figuring out where your main draughts are coming from. That means looking for gaps and feeling for cool air around doors, windows, letterboxes and – if you have one – your chimney. Here’s a handy guide to draught-hunting.

With your hit-list in place, it’s time to get draught-busting.

1. Draughty windows? Use strips of either self-adhesive foam or brush to stick around the window frame. It couldn’t be simpler or cheaper.
2. Draughty doors? Here’s one for all the family… make a crafty draught excluding snake to keep guard on all your outside doors. If you’re short of time (or old tights), you can either buy a draught excluder or put more of those self-adhesive foam or brush strips around the door. While you’re at it, it’s well worth covering the keyhole and letterbox too. Again, you can make something yourself with some thick felt, or buy covers online.
3. Draughty skirting boards or floorboards? This one is surprisingly satisfying. Armed with nothing more than tube of floor filler, just fill any gaps you spot, wipe off any excess and wait for the warm glow of satisfaction from a job well done.
4. Draughty chimney? Chimneys can be incredibly draughty – it’s kind of what they’re there for! If you have an unused or little-used fireplace, it’s worth filling it with a chimney balloon. Just remember to remove it if you do ever light a fire… and on Christmas Eve of course.

Before you dash off to get draught-busting please remember that some ventilation is a good thing. Draughts are uncontrolled and excessive, but kitchens, bathrooms and areas with open fires or flues can all benefit from a bit of moving air.

Don’t seal your house off altogether!

There are a host of grants and discounts available to help you out, handily compiled in the Energy Saving Trust's great search tool.