Draughts are a common issue in many homes, caused by unwanted gaps that allow cold air to enter and warm air to escape. To draught-proof your home, it’s essential to block these openings while ensuring adequate ventilation in areas where it’s needed.
A draught-free home is not only more comfortable but also more energy-efficient. By reducing draughts, you can turn down your heating, lower carbon emissions, and save on your energy bills.
Breathable Loft Lining
Adding breathable loft lining can enhance wind-proofing in your loft and prevent dust, dirt, and moisture from entering. You can choose from two main options: a breathable membrane or a thermal foil loft lining. While both options help stop wind and dust, thermal foil lining has the added benefit of reducing heat loss, helping you save on energy costs. This lining is installed on either the internal or external roof slopes, providing an extra layer of protection between your loft and the outdoors, which helps to prevent cool air from entering.
Proper Loft Hatches
An inadequately insulated loft hatch is a major culprit for heat loss, allowing warm air to escape and cold draughts to enter your living spaces. Many loft hatches are poorly insulated, unsealed, or not up to current standards, acting as a funnel for heat to escape through. Installing an energy-efficient UPVC loft hatch that meets current building regulations can significantly reduce draughts and improve your home’s energy efficiency. For a DIY approach, consider adding a compression seal or foam strip around the hatch frame and placing insulation on the hatch’s top side to add another layer of protection.
Installing Loft Insulation
While a well-insulated loft hatch helps, it won’t eliminate draughts completely. Loft insulation provides an effective barrier against cold air and helps maintain a comfortable temperature inside your home. Loft insulation improves your home’s energy performance, reduces your carbon footprint, and cuts heating costs. Insulation materials are available in various thicknesses, from 100mm to 270mm. Although thicker insulation can be pricier, it offers greater protection against draughts and further reduces heat loss.
Efficient Loft Boarding
Gaps between your loft floorboards can contribute to draughts. Replacing old, cracked boards with new ones can help reduce draughts. For better insulation, consider a raised loft boarding system, which sits above your insulation rather than compressing it. This allows the insulation to work at its full efficiency, reducing heat loss and lowering energy bills. If you’re not comfortable installing this system yourself, Key Loft Storage can expertly install a raised loft boarding system, ensuring your insulation remains effective.
Loft Windows
If your loft has windows, they could be contributing to draughts. Many skylights have built-in ventilation, which may cause cold air to enter. You can cover the windows during colder months to minimise this. If the draughts are coming from around the glass, use self-adhesive insulation tape or foam strips to seal the frames. For poorly installed skylights, it may be worth considering a new, properly insulated window. The Key Loft Storage roof window, for example, comes with a thermal collar that ensures complete insulation once installed.
How Much Can You Save from Draught-Proofing?
Draught-proofing your home can cost around £200, but these measures could save the average UK household around £60 a year on heating bills. This means your investment could pay for itself in just over three years.
If you’re dealing with draughts and want to improve your home’s energy efficiency, contact us at Key Loft Storage, and our team will ensure your loft is properly insulated to help reduce your heating costs.