Draught proofing

Draughts are a major source of heat loss in winter, causing discomfort and increasing your heating costs by about 25%. Identifying areas of draughts and sealing them up is easy. Draughts are also common through exhaust fans, vents, exposed floor boards, skirting boards, stairways, fireplaces,  electrical outlets and recessed down-lights.

• Seal windows and doors by weather stripping (see diagram below). For each window you seal you will save about 5 % on your energy bill!! Weather stripping is available from hardware stores in different colours and in different materials. Cleaning the surface well before installation can make a big difference to the durability of weather stripping.

2. Attach to door or window frame

• For exhaust fans install a Draft Stoppa (www.draftstoppa.com.au). This sits above the exhaust fan (in the roof cavity) with flaps that lift up when the fan is on and seal shut again when the exhaust fan is not in use. If you are installing a new exhaust fan choose a sealed ceiling fan. 
  

Draft Stoppa for exhaust fans

• Permanently open vents are a common feature in many older homes that were built when gas lighting and unflued heaters were around. Nowadays these are unnecessary. Fill the holes with silicone, this is a particularly good option when the vents are decorative and a room feature. A piece of board painted the same colour as the walls and latched to the vent is another simple solution. 

• Downlights (recessed or unrecessed) are another major source of heat loss as insulation is not able to be placed up against the light or transformer. Isolite covers (which sit over the top of the light in the roof cavity) stop some of the heat loss as you can push your insulation right up against the covers. These are available from The Environment Shop in Northcote. 
  

Isolite cover for downlights

• Unused chimneys should be blocked off. As heat rises it escapes out of the chimney. Old blankets or shopping bags stuffed with newspaper will do the job. Alternatively, particularly if the fire place is still in use, install an adjustable damper so that you can block it off when it is not in use. 

• Caulking is a possibility for a number of draught sources. Check with the hardware supplier which is best for which application – polyurethane is suited for large cracks, butyl rubber can be painted and latex caulks can be applied to damp surfaces.