We’re in the depths of winter feeling cold and miserable, it’s around about now that we start to feel like we might go insane if we can’t stop that draught from getting through. Where is it coming from again? They seem to come from the strangest places you never thought draughts could come from, especially after you’ve tried to stuff the holes for the umteenth time. It just is not fun at all.

Before you start tearing your hair out and calling up the estate agent to scout out villas in Marbella, know that there might be some solutions you haven’t thought about. If you’re at a bit of a loss as to where to begin – this is especially relevant to first-time homeowners or to people who have recently moved into a larger or older homes. It takes time to learn how to cope. Here are some strategies for dealing with draughts so your winter is cozier and you can save money on your heating costs.

Insulate everything

When it comes to windows and doors, you’ll want to insulate them as much as possible. This means using draught excluders. If you’ve already tried this, see whether more effective ones will give you adequate results. The best ones are the ones that are attached to the bottom of the door on both sides and provide padding underneath the door, too.

Insulation for windows and doors always includes caulking – you can easily find this at the hardware shop as well as weatherstripping for the sashes (the parts that hold the panes in place and are attached to the main window frame). You’ll want to watch Youtube videos on how to do this if you’ve never done it before so you don’t make mistakes.

Invest in heavy curtains or fabrics to hang as room or space dividers and if you can, buy insulating materials for your attic and other cold rooms. This can be a great opportunity to re-do your interior design, because heavy curtains don’t have to be ugly! They can provide a lovely accent wall.

Look for hidden draughts

They don’t always come from the places we imagine (windows and doors being the first obvious culprits). Draughts can sometimes come from under the floor through the floorboards. This can be avoided by putting building paper under the carpet. Yep, you’re going to have to do a little bit of work to get the carpet up (or, if you’re lucky, a rug), but you might be surprised at the comfort you can get from this work, which will probably take you an afternoon at most.

And for those of us with exposed wooden floors, we suffer from cold air coming through the floorboards. This can be fixed by putting papier mache between the gaps, which you then allow to dry. Once it’s dry, you can sand and stain it to match the floor and no-one will know the difference! This may take a little longer than an afternoon but it’ll save you money on heating in the end.

Draughts can also come from the air pull of chimneys if they do not have proper ventilation.  Try to get the fire its own air supply to avoid it creating cold draughts. It can be a bit tough to figure this out by yourself, so try calling a handyman who has expertise in fires to advise you. You can find people in many places online to come out and advise you.

Fit (new) double glazing

If nothing is working, your home is probably still feeling chilly, especially around the windows and doors. These are prime draught culprits since they degrade so gradually that we hardly notice until we’re sitting on the sofa shivering every evening, turning up the thermostat as a result. This is when you should figure out whether replacement windows would be beneficial for you.

It sounds like a super expensive job, and it can be if you decide to replace all of your windows, but this isn’t necessary. You can be selective and only replace the problem windows as this will be less expensive. The most important thing is that you discuss your options with an expert in the know.

Double glazing salesmen have a lousy reputation, especially when they’re working for national companies. For this reason, consider local companies above all else and collect as many recommendations as possible. Inform yourself about your options (for instance, are uPVC windows right for your or not?) and compare as many quotes as possible to get the best deal for your home.