Stormguard Around Loft Attic Hatch Door Draught Excluder Seal Strip Weather Proofing Insulation. (4 x 685mm, Brown)

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Secondary-glazing film is a transparent tape that fixes to windows to create a double-glazing effect. However, we recommend you avoid using it.

How To Draught Proof Your Home - Which?

The simple answer is that cold air is coming into your loft space under the eaves (just underneath the edge of your roof). And some of that air is passing through the hatch into the liveable part of your home. The problem is worse if you’ve got a cold loft – e.g. one that’s not insulated at all or only insulated at the joist (loft floor) level and not up to the rafters (a warm loft). We go into more detail on cold vs warm lofts in our insulation guide. Don’t worry though, cold air is supposed to be coming into your loft (more on that later). But if it’s coming into your home then that’s not good for anyone! So why is that cold air entering through the hatch?The best devices have a (very) obvious cord or other noticeable sign that they are fitted. You need something obvious to ensure that you remember to remove them before you light a fire!

Draught Seal - White Wickes 10m P Profile Rubber Draught Seal - White

That’s simple… your loft hatch isn’t draught-proof! Of course!! And it’s probably not insulated either. Any gaps in your ceiling or around the hatch will let in that cold air. And there’s your draught problem! We come across this all the time. And it’s often the first sign that you need to give some attention to your loft space. The good news is that doing so will not only help to keep the top of your home warmer. It also provides other tangible benefits such as helping to reduce your energy bills and even increasing the value of your home! But why is cold air entering my loft in the first place? The simple lift-out hatch (those without a hinge) can be insulated by gluing a plastic bag to the hatch, filling it with insulation material and taping the bag closed. It is effective, cheap and the bag prevents the insulating fibre from getting disturbed. Draught proofing an existing hatch is simply a matter of attaching a self-adhesive foam strip (sometimes called weatherstrip) or EPDM door and window draught proofing strip. Draught proofing your home also has a slight disadvantage in that you will possibly be closing off a great many unofficial ventilation sources that allow your home to breath.

Draught Proofing Floorboards

Chimney draught excluders are available from most DIY stores. Plastic bags stuffed with other plastic bags also work – but remember to remove it in summer to let the air circulate.

Do draught excluders work? - TheGreenAge Do draught excluders work? - TheGreenAge

Read on to find out what you can do in your own home – from filling in gaps around pipes to insulating your loft hatch. Plus, learn how to keep warm air in without compromising on ventilation. Draught proofing costs and savings Once you have covered the obvious spots around the home, try draught proofing some of the less obvious spots. Loft hatches are an area where lots of heat can be lost, so make sure that the hatch fits snugly and some draught proof strips have been fitted around the edges. Even if you're eager to draught proof your whole home, it’s important not to completely seal your property. There needs to be some air flowing in and out. Into these gaps you should squirt filler to stop the air being able to get through. Use a flexible filler (a decorators caulk, or silicon based mastic) as there will be movement as the pipes heat up and expand and then cool and contract.

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So let’s get to the nitty-gritty. There are several ways to fix a draughty hatch. The general principle here is to create an airtight seal around the edge of the hatch or frame. And this can be achieved quite easily using a compression seal or foam strip. Where this is applied will depend on which type of hatch you have. Here are some common scenarios: Just as important as insulation is draught proofing, and undertaking measures to draught proof an existing loft hatch will improve comfort in the living space below. Fill the gaps with flexible fillers, clear or brown silicone mastic, decorators’ caulk or similar products. When insulating a loft, and often forgotten task is to insulate the hatch. Hot air rises and this can very easily escape through the hatch. Make sure that you fix some insulation to the top side of the hatch cover and this will insulate and keep the warmth in your home. In most cases, as in the image below, the kit will comprise of 2 sealed units, one to fit on the outside and one to fit on the inside. Each section seals closed preventing any draughts from penetrating.