Cold draughts can make a rented flat feel uncomfortable and expensive to heat, especially for pensioners and single-income households who keep the thermostat low to manage bills. Many draughts come from gaps around doors, letterboxes and window frames that are easy to seal with simple materials you may already own. Before you start, it is important to remember that you rent the home, so some changes need your landlord’s agreement. This article explains how to find draughts, how to seal them with low-cost items and how to avoid damaging the property. It is general information only, and it does not replace advice from a qualified tradesperson or your housing provider.

Checking with your landlord first

Before you buy anything, read your tenancy agreement and check what you are allowed to change. Some landlords are happy for tenants to add draught excluders or tape around windows, while others ask that nothing is fixed to the walls or frames. A short written message is a good way to ask. Explain the simple, reversible steps you plan to take and ask whether there is any reason not to proceed. Keeping the reply in writing protects you if questions come up later.

Take photographs of the room before you begin, and note the condition of paintwork, carpets and window fittings. If you remove anything, keep it safe so that it can be put back before you move out. Good records make it far easier to resolve any disagreement about the state of the property at the end of the tenancy.

Finding where the cold air is coming in

On a breezy day, hold a thin strip of tissue paper or a lit incense stick close to the edges of doors and windows. If the paper moves or the smoke bends, you have found a draught. Check the letterbox, the gap under the front door, the join between the wall and the window frame and any cracks around the skirting boards. Mark the spots with a pencil on a scrap of paper so that you can work through them one by one.

Readers may also want to visit Linkseed. Many draughts are small, but together they can let a surprising amount of warm air escape. Sealing the largest gaps first usually gives the quickest improvement, and you can then decide whether the rest is worth attention.

Low-cost materials that often work well

Several household items can reduce draughts without any drilling or permanent changes:

1. A fabric draught excluder, which you can make from an old towel or a folded blanket.

2. Foam or self-adhesive strip seals placed around the edges of windows and doors.

3. A letterbox brush or flap that sits on the inside of the door.

4. Thick curtains that reach the floor and are lined with an old sheet.

5. Bubble wrap or a clear film held in place with removable tape on the inside of a single-glazed window.

Choose removable adhesives and test them on a small hidden area first, since some paints and wallpapers can lift when tape is pulled away. Avoid anything that leaves a sticky residue that could damage the surface.

Keeping the flat warm without damaging it

Once the main gaps are sealed, look at how you use the heating. Close internal doors to rooms you do not use, so that heat stays where you need it. Place a rug or a thick mat by an exposed floor edge, and sit furniture away from radiators so that warm air can circulate. Some people find that a shelf or a reflective panel behind a radiator helps, but check with your landlord before fixing anything to a wall.

You can also visit technolik.com for more reading. A lower, steady temperature often feels more comfortable than a short burst of high heat. If you are worried about damp, condensation or mould, speak to your landlord promptly, because draught proofing can change airflow in a room. For concerns about breathing or health in a cold or damp home, a doctor or local housing team can give personal advice.

Think about the seasons as well. Draught proofing done in autumn gives you warmth before the coldest weeks arrive, but it is also worth checking again after a storm, since strong wind can loosen seals. Keep a small supply of spare strips and a roll of removable tape in a cupboard so that repairs can be made quickly. For a related read on this site, see Cleaning and Airing a House Before Going Away. Mark a date in your diary each year to review the seals, so that small gaps do not quietly grow into large ones.

Draught proofing is one of the simplest ways to make a rented flat more comfortable without spending heavily. Check with your landlord, find the draughts carefully, use removable materials and keep the heating sensible. Over a few weekends you can make a noticeable difference, and you will leave the property in the same condition you found it, which is the outcome that protects your deposit and your peace of mind.