Draughty Windows and Doors: The Fixes That Work (and When to Replace)

Draughts are the first thing our service team gets called about when the clocks go back. Most are fixable in an hour. Some are the sign of a window or door that is done. This guide tells you which is which, in the order we would check them in your home.

Find the draught first

On a windy day, run the back of your hand slowly around the edge of each window and door, then along the joint where the frame meets the wall. A lit candle or a strip of tissue shows the airflow if you cannot feel it. Note whether the air comes from the opening edge of the sash or door, from the frame edge against the brickwork, or through the glazing itself.

Draughts from the opening edge

This is the most common and the easiest to fix. Over time the rubber gasket around the sash or door compresses, hinges drop a fraction and the lock keeps no longer pull the sash tight. On a uPVC or aluminium window the fix is adjustment: most hinges and locking keeps have eccentric cams that can be turned to increase the compression, and worn gaskets can be replaced without changing the window. On a composite or uPVC door, the hinges adjust in three directions so the slab sits square in the frame again. If we installed your windows or doors, this is covered by your guarantee, so book a service call rather than reaching for the sealant.

Draughts from the frame edge

Air coming from where the frame meets the wall means the perimeter seal has failed or was never done properly. Externally, the silicone or mastic joint cracks and shrinks with age; internally, the gap behind the plaster reveal may never have been foamed. Re-sealing externally is a straightforward job on a dry day. If the gap is large, or the frame moves when you push it, the original installation was poor and the window may need re-fixing.

Draughts through the glass

You cannot feel air moving through intact glass, but you can feel cold radiating from it. Single glazing and early double glazing without a low-emissivity coating leave the inside surface cold, which sets up a convection current that feels exactly like a draught, especially in front of large windows and patio doors. No amount of sealing fixes that. Only better glass does: modern A-rated units keep the inner pane warm and the cold-draught feeling disappears.

When it is time to replace

• The sealed units are misted between the panes (see our condensation guide).
• Frames are warped, split or rotten, so the sash cannot be adjusted to seal.
• Windows are single glazed, or double glazed from before about 2002 with no low-e coating.
• Locks or handles have failed and parts are no longer made.
• You have sealed and adjusted everything and a room is still noticeably colder than the rest of the house.

Replacement windows and doors from our range are A-rated as standard, up to A++, with multi-point locking, trickle vents and a 15-year guarantee, and our surveyor checks the reveal and sealing detail on every job. Popular autumn choices are the Eco Flush window, the Elegance Collection composite door for a front door that closes like a bank vault, and the Slider24 patio door to replace a leaky old slider.