With energy bills soaring and cold weather lingering, experts at Which? have shared a simple trick to adjust your windows and doors to keep your home warmer
With energy bills soaring and cold weather lingering, experts at Which? reveal a simple trick to adjust your windows and doors to keep your home warmer(Image: baza178 via Getty Images)
Despite January drawing to a close, the miserable weather and bitter cold continues to hang around. Maintaining a cosy home can prove difficult, particularly when you’re dealing with soaring energy costs.
Consumer experts at Which? have urged households to check for draughts creeping through windows and doors, revealing there’s a simple technique that could stop heat from escaping your property. In the video caption, Which? said: “Feeling a draught but can’t figure out where it’s coming from? Grab an Allen key and try this quick trick. It could be a simple solution you need to help you cut your energy bill.”
Take a close look at the interior of your windows and doors for adjustment mechanisms, which are commonly found on uPVC fittings. These features sit within the frames and can help keep the freezing air at bay, reports the Express.
Within these adjustment points, you’ll discover tightening hinge screws that enable you to adjust cam locks. Simply grab an Allen key and rotate the upper cam to draw the strike plate inwards.
Which?’s expert explained: “Which means the closed window will be pulled tighter.”
Though you might discover that the door or window requires excessive force to shut properly. To fix this, just rotate the lower cam lock the other way to provide it with a “little more room”.
By adjusting the sash over the winter months, you’ll help eliminate draughts and create a tight seal within the frame. This minimises the opportunity for cold air to sneak through windows or doors.
For windows without an Allen key cam mechanism, Which? noted that more “fiddly adjustments” to the hinges might be necessary. The experts advised: “It’s still worth doing, but remember to check your manufacturer’s instructions before making any adjustments.”
If adjusting your windows and doors isn’t possible, the Energy Saving Trust has offered some useful guidance for tackling draughts. For windows, they recommend applying self-adhesive foam strips or metal or plastic strips fitted with brushes or wipers around the window frame to bridge the gap between window and frame.
Ensure the strip is properly sized to fill your window’s gap. Bear in mind that foam strips aren’t suitable for sliding sash windows.
Regarding doors, the Energy Saving Trust highlighted four key areas that need attention when draught-proofing. These include: keyholes, letterboxes, and any gaps around the edges or beneath doors.
The trust recommended:
- Keyhole: buy a purpose-made cover that drops a metal disc over the keyhole.
- Letterbox: use a letterbox flap or brush but remember to measure your letterbox before you buy to make sure it fits.
- Gap at the bottom: use a brush or hinged flap draught excluder.
- Gaps around the edges: fit foam, brush or wiper strips like those used for windows.