Renovation Projects That Can Help Make A Building More Airtight

Airtightness is about making homes, offices and other buildings that are more efficient, with building air tests available that can see where outside air is entering the house and internal air is exiting.

This information is important for energy efficiency, as a draughty home quickly gets cold during winter nights or becomes abnormally and unpleasantly warm during particularly intense sunny days.

This can only make energy bills more expensive during a time when the energy price cap has continued to increase but also increases the risk of damp, abnormal condensation and mould.

This does not mean letting now airflow into a building at all, as air needs to cycle and move to stay fresh and be healthy to breathe in, but here are some renovation projects that can help make a building more airtight.

Seal Up A Chimney

If you have an old fireplace that is open but you are not actively using, so much of your heating could quite literally be disappearing up the chimney. It is worth the time and money, therefore, to block it up, or install a dampener or shutter to keep it closed when it is not being used.

Buy Drought Proofing Strips

There is often a gap that forms between a window and a window frame that can be opened, which can sometimes let out more air than you may expect.

One of the best ways to stop this is to fit a drought-proofing strip, either made from self-adhesive foam or with metal or plastic brushes that are the right size for your window.

Cover The Door Gaps

Doors have the potential to be full of holes, mostly fitted intentionally to allow for someone to insert a key or post a letter into the home. Thankfully, there are purpose-built covers that can help retain that functionality but without letting too much air escape.

Letterboxes can be fitted with draught-excluders, typically taking the form of a metal flap or brushes, keyholes can have a disc fitted over the cylinder to avoid tiny amounts of air escaping, and brushes and brushes can be fitted around the edges to stop air coming through the gaps.