There is a general misconception that draught-proofing your home during the summer season isn’t really important. However, insulating a house when it’s hot outside is equally beneficial as it is in winter. Only insulating the roof of the house to keep your house cooler in summers is not going to help much, especially if you ignore the drafts around doors and windows that could allow hot air to enter. This will increase your air conditioning bills and you will end up paying more than you anticipated. One simple step of draught-proofing your home is to block the wind entering from any gap in the house. Some of the most common culprits that allow hot/cold air to enter are doors and windows. In this blog, we will guide you through some DIY ways to draft-proof your home.
So, without further ado, let’s get started!
DIY Ways of Draught-Proofing Your Home
Draught-proofing your home can save a lot of your hard-earned money that would otherwise be spent on cooling and heating systems. The question is how to spot the most common areas that have drafts.
Apart from windows and doors you will also see many openings in the house such as electrical fittings that link directly to the exterior part of the house. They create drafts that allow warm or cold air to enter your abode and change the temperature inside the house.
Let us take a look at some of the most common areas that are usually draft-prone:
- Windows
- Doors
- Loft hatches or skylights
- Electrical fittings on ceilings
- Pipes leading outside the house
We will now explore each of these areas and find out possible solutions to draft-proof them.
Windows
Windows help provide ventilation in the house. It is extremely important to keep the house well-ventilated but the drafts in windows create unwanted ventilation outlets that change the temperature inside the house. That is why draught-proofing your home becomes imperative.
Here are some easy DIY ways to draft-proof windows in the house:
- Rubber strip – All you need are a few rubber strips that you can easily get from your local store. If you have recently built a house or know someone who is into construction business, you can make use of the leftover construction scrap and insulate the window. Cut out long thin rubber strips. Apply glue on it and stick it to the side of the windows. This kind of insulation works best for sliding windows. Not only you get protected from the air creeping in from the sides of the windows, but you will see there are less mosquitoes in the house as this method insulating the windows is great at keeping house pests at bay.
- Silicone sealant – If you are looking for a particularly easy DIY way of draught-proofing your home, then this one’s for you! Use a silicone sealant gun and recaulk the window to block air from passing through. Using a putty knife, first remove any dirt or old caulk from the windows. Remove any possible paint as well and make sure the area is completely dry. Now, cut the cartridge of the caulk at a 45 degree angle and insert the tube in the caulking gun. If you are using the caulking gun for the first time, then test it on a newspaper or a paper towel first before applying it on the doors or windows. Slide the nozzle across the joint where you want the window to be sealed. Try to apply it one continuous stream to seal all possible air drafts in your window.
- Foam weather strip – These come in a variety of colours and sizes. You can stick it as you go and the foam strip will adhere to the window sealing it completely. You can buy them online or purchase it from your local store. The only downside of using foam weather strips is that they are not very long lasting. Also, foam strips usually don’t work well with sliding windows. To properly seal sliding windows you will have to use adhesive rubber strips.
Doors
There are many DIY ways of draught-proofing your home. Here are some of the most common areas in a door that allow the air to escape through. We have also discussed the ways to draft-proof your doors.
- Keyhole – A keyhole is enough to control the temperature inside your house. Therefore, it is important to seal the keyhole using a custom-made metal disc that you can cover up the keyhole with.
- Gap at the bottom – Use a draught excluder or a door snake at the bottom of the door. If you are looking for a DIY way to draft-proof your door, then use a rubber strip and apply some adhesive to completely block the air escaping through the door at the bottom. You can also create a pipe foam and stick it towards the bottom of the door. If it is your child’s bedroom door that needs to be sealed, then go for a rocket design made out of foam and stick it with glue at the bottom of the door. This will give a new look to your child’s bedroom. You can also make a pipe out of old fabric and fill it up with plastic bags or old pieces of fabric that you no longer use. Stuff it well so that the DIY draught excluder that you have made on your own doesn’t allow air to escape.
- Gaps around the edges – You can use foam weather strips or adhesive rubber strips around the door’s edges and sides. This way the door will be sealed completely.
Loft hatches and skylights
The loft hatches in your ceiling can allow most of the roof’s heat to enter the house or if the weather is cold outside it can make the house cold. If you have skylights in the house and there are drafts in it, then it is time to seal the sides of the skylight to completely block out any air passing through it. Use a foam weather strip or silicone sealant to secure the edges of the skylight. Then replace the glass of the skylight to a reflective one that can keep the sun’s ultraviolet rays from entering the house.
Electrical fittings on ceilings
If the electrical fittings in your house has any gaps that can allow the air to pass through, then you should draft-proof them. Use a silicone caulking gun to seal the edges around the electrical fitting if the gaps are small.
But if you have taken out your air conditioner and there is a big gaping hole now where the air conditioner was connected, then you should seal it completely with cement. Go over your house and take a good look at all possible areas for draught-proofing your home. You should also take a look at these ways to insulate your house.
Pipes leading outside the house
If there are any holes around the pipes in your house then you must fill up these gaps with silicone filler. If there are larger gaps around the plumbing pipes then use an expanding polyurethane foam to seal off the edges.
So, these were some of the tips to draft-proof your home completely. Do read our detailed blog on types of insulation used in homes. You should also take a look at how to reduce electricity bills in summer weather.
If you are worried about excessive use of heaters in the winter season, then take a look at effective ways to insulate windows in the winter season. For more updates, stay tuned to the Zameen Blog, the best property blog in Pakistan. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter which appears on the right hand side of the page. We would love to have your feedback at blog@zameen.com. Follow our social media pages and stay informed about the latest property and construction trends in Pakistan.
