DIY draft stoppers

Dense, weighted fillings that hug the floor. Dried rice, lentils, or cheap split peas give the weight needed to seal the gap, while polyester stuffing alone is too light and just floats over the draught. A common approach is a core of rice for weight wrapped in a little stuffing for shape, giving both a tight seal and a soft feel.

No sewing required. The simplest stopper is a long sock or a leg cut from old tights, filled and tied off at the end. For a neater fixed version, an old rolled towel inside a fabric tube works without a stitch if you tuck and tape the ends. Sewing gives a tidier result but is not essential.

Measure the full width of the door or window plus a couple of centimetres so it sits snugly without gaps at the edges. A stopper that is too short leaves cold corners, which is where draughts sneak back in. For a door, account for the full bottom width. Overfill slightly, since the filling settles and compacts with use.

Yes, the gap under a door is one of the biggest single air leaks in a room. Sealing it stops the constant pull of cold air across the floor, which makes a room feel warmer at the same thermostat setting. It will not transform an uninsulated house, but for the cost of some old fabric and a bag of rice, the comfort gain is real.