Energy bills climb, heaters grind on, and the room still feels like it’s missing a wall. Then you see it: a €1.99 fix at Gifi that promises to stop the draught at its source.
It was one of those late afternoons when the sky gives up and turns the colour of old silver, and I could feel the breeze play across the window latch every time a bus whooshed past outside. I pressed my hand against the frame and felt the pale ribbon of cold, thin as a whisper, snaking in and pooling along the floorboards, as if winter had learned our address. A friend mentioned a self-adhesive window draught seal at Gifi – just a simple foam strip on a cardboard reel – and on a whim I bought it along with tea bags and batteries. One strip, no chill.
The tiny strip that stops winter sneaking in
There’s a quiet drama in how a room changes when the wind can’t borrow your warmth. Fit a narrow foam seal into the hairline space where sash meets sill or casement meets frame, and the usual eddies vanish, the curtains stop billowing like sails, and your toes forgive you. It costs just €1.99 at Gifi. Two minutes later, the room has that gentle, held warmth, like a mug cupped between both hands.
My neighbour Mia tried it on a rattly window above her sink, the kind of gap that made washing-up a sprint. She did a tissue test before and after: first, the sheet fluttered like a moth; then, with the seal on, it barely twitched. Estimates vary, yet many homes lose a hefty slice of heat through draughts, and slicing that loss can shave real money off bills. She didn’t change her boiler or buy a smart thermostat. She just stopped the wind from stealing.
The logic is beautifully ordinary. A self-adhesive foam seal compresses when you close the window, filling the irregular space where wood or uPVC never quite meets itself, and that compression creates a barrier to moving air. Air isn’t just “cold”; when it moves through gaps it sets off little convection loops that make a room feel restless and chilly, so blocking the path calms the whole space. The adhesive bonds to a clean frame, the foam rebounds, and the heat you’ve already paid for lingers where you live.
Install it right, breathe easier
Cut a length of the Gifi foam to match the frame edge, peel back a few centimetres of the liner, and press from one corner with steady thumbs. Work along in short sections so the strip sits straight and gently compressed, not crushed. Close the window, wait a beat, open again, and check the contact line: neat, continuous, no daylight sneaking through.
Don’t block trickle vents or weep holes; those are there to let your home breathe. If your window is stiff, pick a thinner profile or apply in two smaller runs rather than one fat squeeze. We’ve all had that moment when a quick fix becomes a faff because we rushed the corners, so slow down at the last five centimetres. Work with the frame, not against it. Let’s be honest: nobody really does that every day.
Think of it as a seal for comfort, not a lid on your home. Seal the gaps, not the house. Your window should still open easily, and you still need ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms, from vents or a timed crack of the window when you’re around.
“If it flutters, it leaks,” said a joiner I know, who keeps a strip in his van all winter. “Stop the flutter and rooms feel two degrees warmer without touching the thermostat.”
- Clean the frame with a mild detergent, let it dry fully.
- Measure twice, cut once; keep corners tidy.
- Leave trickle vents clear; draught strip goes on the closing edge, not the vent face.
- Test with a tissue: no flutter means you’re done.
- Re-check after a week; press back any lifted spots.
A small fix, a larger feeling
It’s just foam on a roll, yes, and somehow it’s also a small kind of power. You stand there, room quiet, and it feels like you’ve drawn a line where winter stops and your life begins. The radiators don’t chug quite as long, your socks can retire earlier in the evening, and you catch yourself lingering by the window without bracing your shoulders. Small action, big comfort. Friends will ask what changed, and you’ll point at the frame, a strip so unremarkable it hides in plain sight, and maybe they’ll try it too, the way good ideas pass hand to hand in cold months.
| Point clé | Détail | Intérêt pour le lecteur |
|---|---|---|
| — | €1.99 self-adhesive draught seal at Gifi | Ultra-low cost, immediate impact |
| — | Installs in minutes with simple tools | No specialist skills, quick win today |
| — | Reduces cold airflow through window gaps | Warmer rooms, calmer comfort, potential bill savings |
FAQ :
- What exactly is the €1.99 gadget at Gifi?A self-adhesive foam weather strip designed to fill tiny gaps around window frames and stop draughts sneaking in.
- Will it work on all types of windows?It suits most casement, sash, and uPVC windows; choose the right thickness so the window closes smoothly without strain.
- How long does it last?Typically a season or more, depending on sun exposure, humidity, and how often the window’s used; you can replace sections in minutes if they flatten.
- Could it cause condensation?Draught reduction doesn’t create moisture, but poor ventilation can; keep trickle vents open and ventilate kitchens and bathrooms after use.
- Is removal messy?Peel slowly and warm the adhesive with a hairdryer if needed; any residue wipes away with a mild solvent safe for your frame.
