Lowtech Graph lists low-tech options for every need of a home. Here you can compare them, find tutorials to build them, and link them together into a circular system. Why low-tech?
Draught-proofing an existing house
Passive
One of 2 ways to meet this need. Cost, carbon, footprint and rankings are relative to other solutions for the same need, not absolute.
Sealing the gaps that let air into an existing house: around windows and doors, along the foot of the walls, around pipes and cables, at the loft hatch and in unused chimneys. It is done with sealant, tape, foam and brush strips, an afternoon at a time. It is usually the cheapest way to cut heat loss, but the house still needs a way to air itself.
Levels are relative to the other options for this need, not absolute. Fewer dots is lighter.
Draught-proofing an existing house (This page) Can I use it? Works in a flat · No rebuilding needed What does it cost me? Upfront cost: Low · Skill to build: Basic · Upkeep: Light · Change to daily life: None · Works without the grid: Yes Choose it if you live in an existing house and want the cheapest first step, an afternoon at a time.
Airtight membrane with taped/sealed joints Can I use it? Works in a flat · No rebuilding needed What does it cost me? Upfront cost: Low · Skill to build: Intermediate · Upkeep: Light · Change to daily life: None · Works without the grid: Yes Choose it if you are building or stripping walls and want to stop the air leaks where much of the heat escapes.
We don’t list sizing or quantities, as the yield of each technique depends on the quality of its build. The catalogue compares options but doesn’t dimension them. Regulatory notes are indicative, with a French example, and need to be confirmed locally.