Which? has shared a simple window adjustment trick to help draught-proof your home and reduce your energy bills this winter amid yet another price cap increase
The chillier weather will shortly arrive and if you’re looking to keep as warm as possible indoors, you might want to heed the guidance from Which?, who have revealed information about a straightforward Allen key technique. The consumer champion maintains their suggestion will “eliminate draughty windows and doors” and cut heating costs.
“Draughty windows and doors?” a Which? staff member started in a TikTok clip, brandishing an Allen key. “You only need one of these to fix it.” Which? proceeded to clarify that numerous contemporary uPVC windows and doors feature simple adjustment mechanisms within the frames, which can be modified to your advantage to eliminate “cold gaps”.
Last week, it was confirmed that from next month, households in Wales will be paying more for their energy bills as the energy price cap increases. A 4% increase has been confirmed that will see the typical households bills rise by £60 per year for the rest of 2026.
The current price cap for a typical household for gas and electricity is £1,663 however October 1, the price cap will rise by £60 per year (or £5 per month) to £1,723 for the average household using both electricity and gas.
To help cut costs, however, Which? recommended employing the Allen key to rotate the two cams located in the window frame – this draws the strike frame inwards and consequently secures the window or door more firmly.
“If it needs too much force to close, turn it a little the other way to give it a little more room,” they advised in a video. “And just like that, you have a draught-free window.”
For those whose windows and doors lack an Allen key cam, meanwhile, Which? states you may need to manage “more fiddly” alterations to the hinges.
“It’s still worth doing [and requires a screwdriver instead], but remember to check your manufacturer’s instructions before making any adjustments,” they noted.
Responding to the footage, one individual confessed: “Did not know this.”
UPVC-Hardware provides additional details about cams on their website, explaining: “An espagnolette upvc window lock is the gearing part inside a window that a spindle drive uPVC window handle operates. The type of cam used nowadays is called a mushroom cam because of its shape.
“Most types of espagnolette window locks have adjustable mushroom cams. These can be adjusted using an Allen key or sometimes a flat headed screwdriver to increase compression on a slack window (symptom: handle goes into closed position too easily) or decrease window compression on an over tight window (symptom: handle has to be forced into closed position).”
The new price cap reflects changes in the cost of supplying energy to homes and Ofgem has said that next month’s increase comes after wholesale gas prices have increased due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Households that do not use gas will see less of an increase in costs as the rise in the price cap is driven by higher gas prices.
Neil Kenward, Ofgem’s director general for markets, said: “High international gas prices are continuing to drive energy costs in the UK. We welcome the Government’s intervention to remove VAT from electricity bills, without which customers would have faced even higher costs this winter.
“Savings are available by choosing a fixed tariff, which are available at £100 or more below the October price cap, and many suppliers offer tariffs with cheaper electricity to smart meter customers for electricity consumed out of peak times. It’s also worth considering different payment methods, with prepayment customers paying the lowest price cap rates, and could save consumers an average of about £45 compared to direct debit.”
