Battle of the drafts

I’m waging a war against drafts.

Keeping doors closed and curtains drawn when it gets dark is the least of it.

My obsession started with a few simple measures. A curtain rail was erected above the front door, hung with a thick, velvet curtain and a couple of draft excluding sausage dogs were positioned strategically around our flat  (like this one from Refab). But it was not enough.

I started to squeeze blue-tack into key holes and down the side of offending doors. I wanted to try cling-film around the bay window and stash a pile of old clothes around the bottom of the back door, but the Eco-Sceptic boyfriend said the flat was better off a little chilly.

My mother has cling-filmed herself in this winter with this product. The verdict? She’s not convinced that it keeps her old, cold house much warmer, but it does make a spooky flapping noise in the breeze that alarms guests. Of course, the obvious answer is proper double-glazing, but sometimes it’s forbidden on old period properties – as is the case with our bay window. Then what? I’d love to know your tips. 

UPDATE: just discovered thegreenguy has been taking on insulation too. Read his post here

Comments

[Hannah Phillips]

We tried a similar product from Tescos,as we can't have double glazing either. Our verdict, it looks like we are permanently having building work done, it makes rude noises in the wind and the difference is marginal. I think it made some improvement, along with the foil behind the radiators. But seeing as this is the first year we tried either of these I can not tell you which is more successful.
Good luck with persuading the boyfriend to draft proof the house!

[Emily]

Would love tips on cheap non permanent ways to help save on heating bills - in a rented property so can't do things like double glazing! Old victorian terraces are not very well insulated, as the frost on the inside of my windows testifies.

[Eco Worrier]

Hannah - the boyfriend is not easily persuaded of these things. my mum's experience of the rude-sounding clingfilm doesn't help...

Emily - for more info about saving on heating bills, check out this post
http://thegreenguy.typepad.com/thegreenguy/2007/11/insulation-le-1.html and also the Energy Saving Trust's website www.est.org.uk

[Tom]

I put that spongy tape stuff around the edges of all my windows to stop draughts and noticed a massive effect. All draughts were gone and the heating had to be on noticably less.

This is the stuff:

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/33145/Ironmongery/Draught-Rain-Excluders/Weatherstrip/P-Strip-White

[Ruth]

I found masking tape around the windows to be quite effective in my old drafty rented flat - easy to remove if you wanted to air the room as well. The clingfilm seemed to reduce condensation on the windows but didn't do much for the temperature.

[Diana]

We used to get howling winds in February so I used heavy duty polythene ground-sheet cut to fit and fastened with grip fix pads and sealed with masking tape. This would not com down until May when the frames had to be bleached to remove mould. But it's so nice now I've been opening the windows.