Introduction
Here is how to install a draught excluder on your door, which is an easy way to keep the cold air out and the warm air in, and it’s a cheap and easy way to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Follow these simple steps to install a brush strip draught excluder on your door.
What is a draught
Draughts are air currents that can make a room feel cold and uncomfortable, and they can also increase your energy bills by causing your heating or air conditioning to work harder. They can originate from a number of different sources, including cracks in your doors and windows, gaps around pipes and cables, or from draughty doors themselves. Draught proofing your home will bring many benefits. This guide will show you how to fit a draught excluder in 8 easy steps and you should feel the benefit straight away!
What is a draught excluder and how does it work
A draught excluder is a device that is typically installed on a door to prevent drafts from entering the room. They work by creating a seal between the door and the floor, which prevents cold air from entering the room.
A door draught excluder with a rubber strip can also prevent noise from entering or leaving the room.
A draught excluder which goes around the door is normally called a weatherstrip. If you’d like to know how to fit draught excluder around door, read our weatherstripping guide
How to install a draught excluder with a brush strip on your door
These instructions work equally well for external doors, such as your front door as they do for internal doors. Once you have selected your Draught excluder, you can follow these steps
How to install a draught excluder with a brush strip on your door
Measure the door
The first step is to measure the door. Measure the full width of the door across the bottom and note the length.
Decide where to cut
You want the draught excluder to be 5mm or so shorter than the width of the door as you don’t want the excluder to protrude beyond the edge of the door as it will get knocked and also it may cause injury.
You also want there to be screws holding the draught excluder to the door no more than 50mm (5cm) from both of the ends.
Ideally, you want the end you are about to cut to be installed at the hinge/non-opening side of the door, as this end will be less visible in the future.
Lay your tape measure against the draught excluder and make a small mark on the excluder 5mm less than the measurement you took in step 1. Measure the distance from the next nearest pre-drilled screw hole (on the side you’re going to keep) to the mark you have just made. Is that distance less than 50mm?
If it is less than 50mm, then you will cut at the mark you’ve made and proceed to step 3. If not, continue reading.
Make the cut(s)
Slide the brush part back just far enough for it to be clear of the line you are about to cut. Place the draught excluder into the mitre block (if you’re using one) so that the line you are about to cut is directly lining up with the straight across the cut on the mitre block.
Use your hacksaw with its sharp blade to make a cut along the line, applying enough pressure so that the blade cuts through the excluder in one go. If you need to, stop sawing and start again a couple of mm away from where you stopped.
Shorten the brush
Once you’ve made the cut, you can slide the brush back into position and make a mark to indicate where to shorten the brush.
Slide the brush out slightly beyond the edge you have just cut, and using the pliers cut the bar holding the bristles at the mark you made. This will ensure that they are flush with the edge of the newly shortened draught excluder.
Using the pliers, crimp/squeeze the metal of the brush bar together at the point you’ve just cut so that the bristles cannot fall out.
Slightly bend the brush bar as you slide it back into the excluder
You want to introduce a very slight bend (a few degrees at most) into the brush bar as you slide it back into the draught excluder as this will help to stop the bar sliding out again in future.
Position the draught excluder
Close the door and position the draught excluder across the bottom so that the bristles touch the floor surface across. Make sure that there is a gap of at least 2mm between the end of the draught excluder and the edge of the door on the side that opens. Check that there is clearance between it and the door frame when the door is opened as far as it will go.
If your draught excluder has a self-adhesive strip as well as fixing holes, you could remove the strip covering the adhesive now and stick it to the door.
Use the bradawl to make marks in the door where the screws will go by pressing the point of the bradawl through the centre of each of the pre-drilled screw holes.
Drill pilot holes
Using your drill with a small drill bit, drill a pilot hole no more than 2cm into the door at each of the marks you have just made.
Install the Draught excluder
Use the screws to fix the draught excluder to the door.
Stand back and admire your work.
Estimated Cost: 15 GBP
Supply:
- Draught excluder
Tools:
- Screws (the excluder should come with appropriate screws)
- Screwdriver
- Hacksaw (with sharp blade)
- Pliers
- Pencil / Marker pen
- Bradawl
- Drill with small drill bit
- Mitre block (optional, but will make your life easier)
What are the different types of draught excluder?
There are a variety of draught excluders available on the market, and you can choose one that best suits your needs. There are simple ones that are installed on the base of a door, as well as more advanced ones that can be fitted around the edges of a door. Some are made from materials like silicone, rubber strip or foam, but the most common type has what are known as brushes and is a line of stiff bristles. Others are designed to be magnetic and attach directly to the door.
Where else could I fit a draught excluder?
Around windows and loft hatches are two potential places where draught excluders can be fitted. Making your loft hatches draught proof is particularly relevant as warm air rises and will pass through gaps around the hatch, and the heat will be lost to the loft space. Check out our guide how to install window draft excluder.
Garage doors can also be a place where draughts can come in, so it is a good idea to fit a draught excluder there as well. Garage doors are by their nature much bigger than doors for people, and the ground is often uneven, meaning there can be air gaps and air gaps mean draughts! Making your home as draught proof as possible will save you money. A draught proof home is better for the environment as it will require less energy to heat and less energy used means less CO2 produced.
Benefits of draught excluders
Some of the main benefits of draught-proofing include improving energy efficiency in your home, reducing heating bills, and making your home more comfortable and quiet. Draught excluders are also easy to install and relatively inexpensive, making them a popular choice for homeowners looking to improve their homes.
Tips for using draught excluders effectively
- You should always ensure that there is adequate ventilation into your home and you should seek professional advice if you are considering covering air bricks.
- Make sure that there is a gap of at least 2mm between the draught excluder and the door so that the door can close properly.
- If you have a carpet, ensure that the draught excluder is positioned so that the carpet does not obstruct the bristles.
- If you have draughty windows or other areas in your home, consider installing draught excluders there to improve your home’s energy efficiency further.
- Consider investing in other types of insulation and energy-saving measures, such as insulating windows or upgrading to a more energy-efficient heating system. Doing so can help you save money on your energy bills and make your home more comfortable all year round.
- Regularly check draught excluders and other types of insulation to make sure that they are in good condition and effective at keeping draughts out.
FAQs about draught excluders
How do draught excluders work?
Draught excluders work by fitting onto the bottom of your door and using bristles to create a seal against the floor, preventing draughts from coming in through the gap beneath your door.
What are the benefits of draught excluders?
Draught excluders are an easy way to keep the cold air out and the warm air in, and they’re a cheap and easy way to improve the energy efficiency of your home.
Draught excluders work by fitting onto the bottom of your door and using bristles to create a seal against the floor, preventing draughts from coming in through the gap beneath your door.
This can help you save money on your energy bills and make your home more comfortable all year round.
Which is the best draught excluder for my home?
Please see our list of recommended draught excluders
