How to keep draughts out of old Victorian houses?

[GordonTheGopher]

With sash windows.. wooden floorboards... high ceilings... converted loft etc etc.

Has anyone had their sash windows refurbished (I know that's the wrong word, can't think of the right one) and was it worth the money?

Are there any quick fix solutions to draughty sash windows?

we had ours refurbished - the folk that do it are generally shysters but yes it did cut out the draughts.

do you have shutters (i am a big fan of shutters)

You can get quite nice secondary glazing now or just buy really big thick heavy curtains.

Cling-film:- attached to the inner window frame with double sided tape. Then heat is applied to stretch surface - a hairdryer can be used for this.

Heavy lined curtains
Draught excluders
chimmney balloons
Curtains for front door
Insulation brushes to sash windows (got company to do it. Has helped to some degree)

Waiting to see if this is effective.

What's a chimney balloon?!

Thick heavy curtains by all the windows and the front door.
Thick heavy rugs on all the floors.
Draft excluders under all the doors.

We are bracing ourselves for the winter - we are stony broke and cannot put the heating on this year (or at least we are going to put it off for as long as possible) but neither do we have the money to buy logs for the fireplace. So we will be doing all the above and if anyone can recommend more?

Chimney balloons are literally balloons that you inflate up the chimney to cut down draughts.

for example

Should have checked link. They look obscene.

PMSL jalopy look at the girth on those!

Thanks for tips.

we have a chimney balloon but we don't really use it as in the summer we don't need it and in the winter we light the fire most nights.

We have fireplaces in all the bedrooms so chimney balloons are a godsend imo (keep outside noise down as well as draughts).

The previous owners had already replaced the windows with pvc ones so no draughts from there.

Hippo - Maybe during the day if most people are out just heat one room? Would an electric heater be cheaper to run than the central heating?

am intrigued by the cling film and double sided tape idea - why do you stretch it using a hair dryer - is it to stop it pulling loose?

I shoved wads of newspaper up unusable chimneys, which seemed to work... obviously you need to remove it if you wish to use them again!

Has anyone had their sash windows "made over" by a company called Ventrola (sp?).

We need to do something as the windows at the back of our house let in huge cold streams of air and the rooms are so cold in winter (dining room especially).

I have a brochure but I still can't work out exactly what it is they do to your sash windows and how it improves them. It seems expensive, is it worth it ?

We use the temporary double glazing too. (you can get in Wilkos, Homebase etc)I assume the haidryer does stretch the material so that it's a tight fit.

I forgo to ask where can I buy a door curtain?