A DIY-SAVVY homeowner has wowed with her simple trick for keeping draughts out throughout winter.
Melissa revealed that she used an affordable buy sold at B&M for the must-try hack.
Melissa (@loveabitofsparkle_home) is steadily growing her following on TikTok, where she shares tips for homeowners.
She went viral on the social media app when she revealed an affordable method for keeping homes warm.
In her video, she applied strips of draught excluder tape bought for £4 from B&M artistically to the walls in her hallway.
A strategic choice of paint colour made the tape look like expensive wooden panels.
“Nobody’s gonna know… that it’s foam draught excluder and not wood from @B&MStores and paint from @DuluxUK,” she captioned the post.
“Paint colour is Brilliant White and Egyptian Cotton from Dulux.
“Dido Rail Amazon – Garneck Wall Borders Peel and Stick Self Adhesive Flexible Molding Trim Stick Wall Border.
“Panel Boarder draught excluder from B&M.”
Over 19,000 people liked the video and took to the comment section praising Melissa for sharing the tip.
“This is the HACK of 2024!!! Omg, love you for this!!!” one person wrote.
“OMG, this is a game changer!! I was going to order a panelling kit from Wickes but not now!” another said.
“Oh wow, brilliant idea, looks great, a third chimed in.
“Genius idea, gonna be my next job,” another added.
“Finally one I can do [laughing],” a fifth commented added.
“It’s so much easier than having to go and get the wood and cut it all!!! You do however need a bit of patience lol,” Melissa replied.
5 ways to keep your house warm in winter
Property expert Joshua Houston shared his tips.
1. Curtains
“Windows are a common place for the outside cold to get into your home, this is because of small gaps that can let in air so always close your curtains as soon as it gets dark,” he said.
This simple method gives you an extra layer of warmth as it can provide a kind of “insulation” between your window and curtain.
2. Rugs
“Your floor is another area of your home where heat can be lost and can make your home feel chilly,” he continued. “You might notice on cold days, that your floor is not nice to walk on due to it freezing your feet.
“Add rugs to areas that don’t already have a carpet, this provides a layer of insulation between your bare floor and the room above.”
3. Check your insulation
Check your pipes, loft space, crawlspaces and underneath floorboards.
“Loose-fill insulation is very good for this, and is a more affordable type of insulation, with a big bag being able to be picked up for around £30,” Joshua explained.
4. Keep your internal doors closed
“Household members often gather in one room in the evening, and this is usually either the kitchen or living room,” Joshua said.
“This means you only have to heat a small area of your home, and closing the doors keeps the heat in and the cold out.”
5. Block drafts
Don’t forget to check cat flaps, chimneys and letterboxes, as they can let in cold air if they aren’t secure.
Other responses to the post confessed they were impressed by the hack but worried kids and pets may rip the tape off.
“Love it, but my feral mini people would pick it off [crying],” one person said.
“Aww no… I’d probably have done the same when I was little to be fair thx hun,” Melissa replied.
In a follow-up video, she showed herself using a tape measure and spirit level to mark out where the tape should be applied before sticking it to the wall.
She reassured viewers that the tape was “quite firmly” stuck to prevent draughts.
However, it can be removed easier than wood and nails when it’s time to redecorate.
“Bloody brilliant and a fraction of the cost,” a commenter said.
A pack of three draught excluder tapes, pictured, are just £4 at B&M[/caption]
