As someone who writes about saving energy for a living, I like to think I'm pretty good at practising what I preach. But when life gets busy, it's all too easy for measures to reduce my energy bills to get pushed further and further down the to-do list.
While I've rectified the energy-wasting decor mistakes I've been making for years, I know there is always more I could be doing to save energy at home.
And there's one thing I've been putting off for ages, and I'm horrified to discover that over the course of a year, it's been costing me £100s in wasted energy. The one thing? Draught proofing.
How much could I save by draught proofing my home?
According to the Energy Saving Trust, draught proofing around doors, windows and floors could save around £85 a year on energy bills, while draught-proofing an open chimney (obviously while the fire is not in use) can save an additional £60 a year.
Addressing draughts can also mean your home is more comfortable at a lower temperature, so you could also save around £90 a year just by turning the thermostat down a single degree.
That all tots up to a whopping £235 a year spent on wasted energy.
I'm fortunate that my floors and windows aren't really an issue, but I have definitely spotted gaps around my front door (near to where my thermostat is) that could have contributed to higher-than-necessary energy bills over winter. While I don't have a traditional chimney, there is a flue from my capped-off fireplace that whistles on a windy day, suggesting a draught.
And the good news is that in my case, resolving these problems is easy and inexpensive. I'll just need some draught excluder tape for around the door (£5.99 from Amazon) and a magnetic fireplace draught blocker (£11.63, Amazon).
However, older houses with more significant issues with draughts may need more extensive draught proofing with the help of a professional. It's also important not to draught-proof to the point of negatively impacting effective ventilation, which is key for a healthy home and moisture control.
For me, now feels like the ideal time to tackle these issues. While many people wait until the winter to address their draughtproofing needs in order to keep the heat in, I want to get it sorted now to help keep the heat out in summer. Every little bit will help reduce the need to resort to energy-hungry air conditioning!
This grey thermal insulation tape is very similar to what is already around my front door, but parts of it have started to fail after 10 years, so it's worthwhile replacing it to prevent draughts.
This might not look the most attractive, but I love the fact that it's easy to install and remove as I wish.
If you have a proper chimney, something like a Chimney Sheep might be a more effective option. Just make sure you remove it before you use your fire again come winter.
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