The draught-proofing weekend that cut our heating bill by a fifth
What we sealed, what it cost, and the thermal readings before and after — with the two jobs we'd skip next time.
27 July 2026 · 11 min read
Chetanya Goel · Founder & Editor
Chetanya started Annam Naturals after two years of keeping a household waste diary. Chetanya writes about the boring, repeatable habits that hold up in a real week.
We borrowed a thermal camera for a weekend, photographed every external wall and door in the house, and then sealed whatever showed up cold. The heating bill for the following two months fell by just under a fifth.
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Responsive display unit — placed after the introduction
What we sealed
The letterbox and the gap under the front door accounted for the most obvious loss. Skirting board gaps on the ground floor were the least visible and, cumulatively, the largest. Two window frames needed new sealant rather than tape.
The two jobs we'd skip
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In-article unit — placed mid-content
- Sealing internal doors, which changed nothing measurable
- A heavy door curtain in a hallway that already had a good seal
Total spend was modest and the work took about six hours across two days. The thermal camera was the part that mattered: without it we would have sealed the wrong things.
For more of this kind of testing, the green living & energy hub collects everything we've tried in that area.
Frequently asked
Do I need to buy anything to get started?
No. Every method here begins with what is already in your cupboards. We only recommend a purchase when something has genuinely worn out, and we say what it should cost.
How do you test the things you write about?
Minimum four weeks of ordinary household use, with notes. For anything involving energy or money we use a plug-in meter and record the readings before and after.
Are your recommendations paid for?
Never. Brands cannot buy placement. Some outbound links are affiliate links, which we mark, and they do not change what makes the list.
What if a method doesn't work in my home?
Write to us. A surprising amount of our best material comes from readers explaining why something failed in a flat, a shared house or a very cold winter.
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