Sealing common heat loss areas such as windows, doors, and skirtings can help maintain your home’s warmth longer
Millions of people are experiencing higher energy bills this winter following a 2% increase in Ofgem’s price cap, which took effect on October 1. However, EDF Energy suggests there are various ways to reduce your expenses, including a method that could save an average of £60 annually.
While it might seem straightforward, this approach requires finding and sealing drafts around your home, such as doors, windows, and chimneys, to stop heat from escaping. Ignoring these areas could be why you often need to increase your heating.
In an online guide on ‘simple investments to help save money’, EDF Energy has explained: “Block gaps where heat escapes and cold air gets in; you’ll prevent heat loss and keep your home warm. There are a number of places where you can prevent draughts. Draught-proofing your chimney alone could save you around £60 a year.”
EDF Energy isn’t the only company promoting this idea. Octopus Energy also recommends making your own draught excluders to effectively reduce heat loss and save a significant amount of money.
Octopus Energy’s online guidance has added: “A continuous draught can quickly undo all the good work of your heating – essentially wasting energy. Identifying and plugging up draughts around doors, windows and other gaps can help trap warmth in and make your gas spend go further.
“…Professional draught-proofing can cost a few hundred pounds. You can also find draughts yourself using the back of your hand, or with a thermal camera and make your own excluders for free using old fabric scraps. Average saving: £80 per year.”
Thermal cameras are particularly effective for identifying heat loss in homes because they measure surface temperatures. They display the warmest spots in red and the coldest in blue.
Sealing common heat loss areas such as windows, doors, and skirtings can help maintain your home’s warmth longer, decreasing the need for additional heating.
If you’re interested in using a thermal camera, many local councils offer them for free, and the London Library of Things rents them for just £15 per day, according to Which?. Many Octopus Energy customers can also access these cameras, although the scheme is paused until 2026.
According to the Mirror, further advice from Octopus Energy has explained: “We genuinely want to help our customers be more energy efficient. It’s simply the right thing to do, not only because it keeps your bills low, but because it’s better for the environment as well.
“We’ve sent our cameras out to nearly 5,000 customers over the last few years, and we’re absolutely honoured that so many customers have told us that the camera loan has helped them practically identify how to save heat in their home.
“Right now, saving gas is more important than ever, with millions of UK households left struggling to pay record-high energy bills. For Winter 2025, we’ve prioritised camera loans for those who need it most.”
People with flexible budgets can opt for a professional thermal survey, which costs approximately £300 for smaller homes and £750 for larger ones. Which? advises using its Home Energy Planning Service to find the most suitable options for each individual.
You can also find more energy-saving tips on both EDF Energy and Octopus Energy’s websites.
