DraughtBusters

Energy saving advice and help

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  • Draught proofing
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    • Front Door
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    • Why draughts?
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    • Loft and first floor ceilings
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  • Finding Draughts
    • Basic Advice
    • Dry lined homes
    • Modern timber frame
    • Victorian terraced houses
    • Chalet Bungalow
    • Cross walled homes
    • Early cavity wall homes
    • Concrete panel houses
    • Solid stone and cob homes
  • Going further
    • Cost-benefit analysis of improvements
    • Controlling your heating system
    • Upgrading to Underfloor Heating
    • In House Winter Cooling Systems
    • Problems with dot and dabbed walls
    • Heat loss from unused chimneys
    • Draughts in the first floor void
    • Around openings in walls
    • A beautiful window
    • Habits to save energy in the kitchen
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    • UPVC window seals
    • What is going on under your bath?
    • Surveys
    • A Partially Deconstructed Wall
    • DraughtBusters Winter Report Dec 2019
    • Summer Condensation
    • Why so many flat roofs fail
    • Lead Pumping
    • Spots on a ceiling
    • Rising damp
    • DPC cold bridging dangers

Our Aims

Our aims

• To reduce energy use

• To make homes warmer

• To alleviate energy poverty

What we do

Reading Borough Council awarded a grant to Transition Town Reading in 2012 to fund the materials for a DraughtBusting project. That was the start of DraughtBusters. Since then DraughtBusters has built up a team of experienced volunteers who have helped a lot of people with draughty homes and also given them advice on how to manage their heating systems.

DraughtBusters continues to provide practical help to people struggling to pay their heating bills because their homes are cold and draughty. You can read more about who we help below, but most homes could benefit from some additional draught proofing, and it is not hard to do. The average cost per home for the materials used by DraughtBusters was just £22 (we buy in bulk), this rose to just under £25 as we turned in to the 2020’s

This web site has been developed as a way of sharing what we have learnt as we’ve been DraughtBusting in houses around Reading, so that more people can take on DraughtBusting projects themselves.

Who DraughtBusters can help directly

The DraughtBusters draught proofing service targets those in most need; the priority groups are people living in energy poverty, families with young children, the elderly and people under debt management, we will help others too if they ask. Many are referred to DraughtBusters through  Citizens Advice , the Council’s Winter Watch scheme, local debt advice agencies, GPs, churches and charities. Others contact us direct, often because they’ve been told about us by someone who has previously been helped by DraughtBusters.

If you’d like to enquire about DraughtBusters helping you draught proof your home, just use the contact form to send us a message and we’ll get in touch with you.

During the visit the DraughtBusting team will first go round and look any obvious draughts, consult you about what needs to be done and then if you agree we will carry out the necessary draught proofing measures there and then. Before we leave we will give advice on other measures that can be taken. The visits generally last  ninety minutes, and the cost of any materials is covered by us, our budget is sometimes topped up by donations from happy customers.

Becoming a DraughtBuster

Being a DraughtBuster is worthwhile, enjoyable and very satisfying. It helps people save both money and energy, and does not require a lot of prior experience or high levels of skill. You will be working with others who have done it before, and you will quickly learn draught proofing skills that you can use in your own home as well as to help your friends and neighbours.

If you would like to join the team do get in touch.

Covid recovery package to include vouchers to help pay for energy saving retrofits

July 7, 2020

Vouchers of up to £5000 to help pay for energy saving home improvements are one of the measures expected to be announced by the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, in tomorrow's (Wednesday 8 July 2020) statement … [Read More...]

Lockdown Actions

June 2, 2019

UPVC Door Problems

December 23, 2017

PM lends support

February 8, 2017

Energy Saving information available from Repair Café events this winter

December 15, 2016

[Media Release] Repair Café with Energy Saving Seminar

December 13, 2016

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A project of

Transition Town Reading

Partnered with

Reading Borough Council

Supported by

Reading Rotary Club

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