• Draught-proofing around windows and doors could save you around £25 per year
• Professional draught-proofing could cost between £85 to £275 for your whole house
• You can DIY draught proofing with great ease - but look for draught-proofing with a Kitemark

Blocking up draughts around the house is a cheap and easy task, with no need to call in professional help most of the time.

It will ensure a house is kept warm, and increase the temperature of a normally cold home.

The best temperature to keep your home at was recently revealed as between 18-19C.

If your home falls below this, it may be because of draughts, so follow these tips from EECA Energywise to block them up and warm up your house.

Ceilings and floors

• Make sure the ceiling hatch is correctly fitted and use weather stripping to seal it.
  
  
• Insulate to help seal gaps between floorboards. Install bulk underfloor insulation hard up against the floorboards to help reduce draughts coming in through the gaps. It will also reduce heat loss through the floor in general.
  
  
• Seal skirting boards and cornices - use flexible silicon-based or latex sealants, or remove them and foam the gap where the floor and wall or the ceiling and wall meet.

Doors, windows and fireplaces

• Check hinges and catches or latches and if they’re loose, tighten them up. If they don't fit in their frames snugly, get them repaired by a qualified builder.
  
  
• Add weather stripping to seal gaps around most doors or windows. Check your hardware store for the right types to use.
  
  
• Seal door or window trims with clear or paintable sealant.
  
  
• Fit draught excluders for gaps under doors. Use brush strip types for internal doors, and spring loaded automatic seals for external doors.
  
  
• Replace damaged rubber seals - around aluminium joinery.
  
  
• Block chimneys of unused fireplaces. A rubbish bag filled with shredded newspapers works well. Make sure the bag is very obvious so no one tries to light a fire in a blocked chimney.

Appliances and lighting

• Seal gaps around electrical wiring and plumbing passages. Use silicone sealants (for smaller gaps) or polyurethane foam (for bigger gaps). These passages are often hidden, so don't forget to look behind kitchen and bathroom cabinetry as well as inside wardrobes and hot water cupboards.
  
  
• Check extractor fans and rangehoods. Models with backdraught shutters help prevent draughts. If you have them, make sure the shutter is working properly.