You're sitting in your favorite chair, finally cracking open that book you swore you'd make time for, when it hits you again -- the draft.
It's that all-too-familiar, no-thank-you blast of cold air sneaking across the room like it pays rent. Spoiler alert: it doesn't. And while it may feel like this draft of air came as a free "bonus feature" with your home, the real culprit is usually much more predictable -- air leaks and missing insulation.
At RetroFoam of Michigan, we've spent more than two decades helping homeowners figure out how to fix a drafty house, how to prevent drafts from returning, and ultimately how to make their homes more comfortable and energy-efficient. Since 2002, our team has worked across the Lower Peninsula sealing up leaky homes with injection foam and spray foam solutions.
So let's dig into what's actually going on inside a drafty home -- and how to fix it.
• A drafty house is usually caused by air leaks in the walls, attic, crawl space, or around openings.
• Missing or insufficient insulation allows a draft of air to move through your home, creating cold spots and uneven temperatures.
• Understanding where drafts come from helps you decide how to fix a cold drafty house effectively.
• Uninsulated walls are one of the biggest contributors to drafts, especially in older homes.
• Crawl spaces without proper insulation pull in cold outside air that rises into your floors and lower walls.
• Attics that aren't air sealed let warm air escape while pulling cold air inside -- a major comfort and efficiency problem.
• Temporary fixes help a little, but long-term drafty house solutions require stopping air movement.
• Foam insulation (spray foam in attics, crawl spaces, and injection foam in walls) creates an air seal that prevents drafts from forming.
• If you're searching for how to fix a drafty house or how to prevent drafts, sealing the building envelope is the most effective approach.
• Proper insulation helps reduce energy bills, prevent ice dams, improve comfort, and make your home more efficient overall.
A draft isn't random.
It's the result of air movement caused by pressure differences between inside and outside your home. When your home lacks proper insulation or has unsealed gaps, outside air gets pulled in while your heated air escapes.
Here are the most common culprits behind a drafty house.
Many older Michigan homes, and even some newer ones, have walls that were never fully insulated.
When wind hits your home, it pushes cold air through cracks, gaps, and uninsulated cavities. This leads to:
If you're wondering how to fix a drafty old house, this is almost always one of the first places to look.
Your crawl space acts like a giant air highway.
When it isn't insulated or air sealed, you could be facing a slew of issues.
A cold floor in winter is usually a sign of this problem. The fix? Creating an air seal with spray foam in the crawl space so that outside air stays where it belongs -- outside.
Your attic is the number one source of heat loss.
Warm air rises, and if your attic isn't properly insulated or air sealed:
If you've been searching for "how to fix a cold, drafty house," your attic is a major player.
The space around windows and doors allows for a fair amount of air leakage if they aren't properly sealed.
Adding caulk around those doors and windows can block that air movement, according to Mike Holmes.
Temporary fixes like weatherstripping, door snakes, or plastic window kits can help a little, but they don't solve the root cause -- uncontrolled air movement throughout your home.
If you want true drafty house solutions, you need to stop the air leaks at their source.
Here's how foam insulation does exactly that by creating an air seal.
Spray Foam Insulation: Used in attics and crawl spaces to create a continuous air barrier. This prevents outside air from entering and keeps your conditioned air from escaping.
Injection Foam Insulation: Installed in existing walls to fill the cavity, sealing cracks and gaps where drafts sneak through. It's the key to fixing a drafty old house without tearing down drywall.
Because foam insulation stops air infiltration, it's the only insulation material that truly eliminates drafts.
If you're trying to figure out how to fix a drafty house, here's a simple roadmap.
A professional assessment can pinpoint exactly where the air is coming from so you can choose the best fix.
When you seal up your home with spray foam or injection foam, you'll notice:
You don't have to live with that annoying draft of air any longer -- and foam insulation makes sure it doesn't come back.
If you're ready to prevent drafts for good and make your home more comfortable, our Learning Center is full of articles and videos to help you understand your options.
How to Fix Drafty Windows by Sealing and Insulating Around a Window Frame
How to Tell if a Wall is Insulated