Draught Buster Insulation Tape 5 m

Everything you need is included – all you have to find is a pair of scissors:

• 1 x draught strip in flexible rubber, 5 m long and 3.5 cm wide
• 1 x double-sided adhesive tape, 5 m long and 9 mm wide

Five metres is usually enough for one standard door all the way round, or for two to three window casements, depending on how many edges you decide to seal. Because the strip comes off a roll, you choose the length yourself and are not left with unusable offcuts.

No DIY experience is needed, and the job is done in about a quarter of an hour:

1. Wipe down the frame or casement. The surface has to be dry, clean and free of grease, otherwise the adhesive will not hold.
2. Measure the edge in question and cut the strip to length.
3. Apply the double-sided tape to the strip and peel off the backing.
4. Position the strip and press it down firmly along its whole length. Leave the door or window untouched for a few minutes so the adhesive can take hold.

Work one edge at a time rather than peeling everything at once. That way the strip cannot stick to itself and ends up sitting straight.

• Find the draught first, then stick. Move a lit candle or a thin sheet of paper slowly along the gap. Where the flame flickers or the paper trembles, the air is getting in – often it is a single edge, and the rest of the frame can be left alone.
• Warm things up in the cold. Adhesive bonds noticeably worse in an unheated stairwell. Leave the tape in a warm room for an hour beforehand and warm the frame with a dry cloth.
• Do not cut too short. Leave a centimetre to spare and trim it at the end rather than ending up with a gap in the corner – that is exactly where the draught is strongest.
• Test once fitted. Close the door and trap a sheet of paper from the outside. If it slides out effortlessly, the seal is not yet pressing properly at that point.
• Keep the offcuts. Leftover pieces come in handy later on cellar windows, letterbox flaps or the door to an unheated loft.

The tape suits anywhere a narrow gap is left between two surfaces:

• Front doors and flat doors, particularly in older buildings
• Cellar doors and doors to unheated rooms
• Window casements that no longer sit flush
• Garden sheds, workshops, studios or caravans

A draughty room feels cooler than the thermometer suggests, because moving air carries warmth straight off your skin. Closing the obvious gaps therefore adds noticeable comfort at the very same heating setting – and means reaching for the thermostat less often.

• Draught strip: 5 m x 3.5 cm, flexible rubber
• Adhesive tape: 5 m x 9 mm, double-sided
• Country of manufacture: United Kingdom
• Can be cut with household scissors

Does the adhesive hold on painted wood?
Yes, as long as the surface is clean, dry and free of grease. On heavily textured or flaking surfaces any adhesive performs worse – smooth those down first or choose a different edge.

Can the strip be removed again?
The strip peels off. Depending on the surface some adhesive residue is left behind, which usually comes away with a standard adhesive remover.

Can I still open a window I have sealed?
Yes. The strip goes on the fixed frame and the casement presses against it when closed. Nothing has to be removed to open it.

How wide a gap does it bridge?
It is made for the narrow gaps that appear around doors and windows that no longer close tightly. For much larger openings – several centimetres under a door, for instance – a door bottom seal is the better answer.

Is the tape visible day to day?
Once fitted it sits in the rebate and largely disappears as soon as the door or window is closed.