{"id":997614,"date":"2026-10-05T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/?p=997614"},"modified":"2026-08-19T11:24:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T09:24:46","slug":"how-to-reduce-drafts-in-rental-apartments-affordably","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/how-to-reduce-drafts-in-rental-apartments-affordably\/","title":{"rendered":"How to reduce draughts in rented flats on a budget"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"vgblk-rw-wrapper limit-wrapper\">\n<p>In many cases, drafts in a rental apartment can be significantly reduced with simple, low-cost measures \u2014 no professional contractor needed, and no major effort required. Leaky windows, poorly sealed doors, or an unfavorably positioned ventilation system are the most common causes, which tenants can often fix themselves. The following questions and answers show you where drafts originate, what you are allowed to do yourself, and when the landlord must take action.<\/p>\n<h2>Where do drafts in rental apartments actually come from?<\/h2>\n<p>Drafts in rental apartments occur when air enters the living space at a noticeable speed through gaps or poorly adjusted ventilation openings. The most common entry points are outdated or poorly adjusted window and door seals, mail slot openings, basement stairwells, and ventilation valves without adjustment options.<\/p>\n<p>Pressure differences between the interior and exterior also play an important role. In winter, outdoor air is colder and denser, which can create negative pressure inside the building. This negative pressure draws cold outside air through every available gap. This effect is particularly pronounced in older buildings with single-glazed windows or in apartments on upper floors.<\/p>\n<p>Ventilation systems can also be the cause: when supply air is blown into a room at too high a speed or from an unfavorable direction, an uncomfortable draft is created even though the system is technically functioning perfectly. In such cases, the problem lies not with the building envelope but with the air distribution system itself.<\/p>\n<h2>What measures against drafts is a tenant allowed to implement themselves?<\/h2>\n<p>Tenants may implement all measures that do not require structural changes to the fabric of the apartment. These include applying self-adhesive sealing strips to windows and doors, using door draft excluders, and covering mail slots and ventilation openings with adjustable valve flaps.<\/p>\n<p>What tenants may not alter without the landlord&#8217;s consent are permanently installed ventilation openings, window frames, or radiator valves, provided these are part of the building&#8217;s existing structure. It is always advisable to consult the landlord in writing before making any modifications.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Apply self-adhesive foam or silicone seals to window sashes<\/li>\n<li>Attach door bottom seals to the lower edge of doors<\/li>\n<li>Place draft stoppers (door snakes) in front of exterior doors<\/li>\n<li>Close or restrict adjustable ventilation valves<\/li>\n<li>Use heavy curtains as an additional barrier against heat loss and drafts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These measures are generally fully reversible and are therefore considered unproblematic under tenancy law.<\/p>\n<h2>How do you seal windows and doors without a professional?<\/h2>\n<p>Windows and doors can be effectively sealed without a professional using self-adhesive sealing profiles available from hardware stores. The sealing strip is simply pressed into the rebate of the window or door frame so that it is compressed when closed, sealing the gap. The entire process rarely takes more than 15 minutes per window.<\/p>\n<h3>Choosing the right sealing strip<\/h3>\n<p>For windows, self-adhesive EPDM or foam profiles with a thickness of 3 to 6 mm are suitable, depending on the gap width. Before purchasing, measure the distance between the sash and frame in the closed position to choose the right profile. Seals that are too thick can make closing difficult or damage the sealing surface.<\/p>\n<h3>Sealing the bottom of doors<\/h3>\n<p>A measurable gap often forms under apartment doors, through which drafts enter from the stairwell. Screw-on door bottom seals or adhesive brush seals can help here, automatically bridging the gap when the door is closed. Both options can be installed without any specialist tool knowledge and cause no damage to the door leaf.<\/p>\n<h2>How much does it cost to fix drafts in a rental apartment?<\/h2>\n<p>The cost of simple sealing measures in a rental apartment is generally between 10 and 80 euros for materials such as sealing strips, door seals, and draft stoppers. Equipping an entire apartment with several windows and doors will keep you well under 100 euros, and the measures can be carried out yourself in a single afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>Costs increase when professional help is required. A tradesperson who replaces window seals or adjusts door frames will charge between 80 and 200 euros per hour, depending on the region and scope of work. For a complete window re-sealing in a three-room apartment, total costs of 300 to 600 euros are realistic, provided no parts need to be replaced.<\/p>\n<p>Important to know: if the cause of the draft is a defect in the rental property \u2014 such as faulty seals or warped frames \u2014 the landlord bears the costs of the repair. In this case, you should not advance any expenses of your own without first clarifying this in writing with the landlord.<\/p>\n<h2>When must the landlord eliminate drafts?<\/h2>\n<p>The landlord is legally obligated to eliminate drafts if they are attributable to a defect in the rental property. This is the case when windows, doors, or ventilation openings are defective, warped, or no longer functional, resulting in a draft that impairs the contractual use of the apartment.<\/p>\n<p>As a tenant, you should report the defect in writing with a reasonable deadline for rectification. Document the condition with photos or a thermometer that records the temperature difference near the leaky area. If the landlord does not respond within the set deadline, you are entitled \u2014 depending on the severity of the defect \u2014 to rights such as rent reduction or commissioning a professional contractor at the landlord&#8217;s expense.<\/p>\n<p>Drafts caused by normal wear and tear \u2014 such as slightly porous seals after many years \u2014 generally also fall within the landlord&#8217;s maintenance obligations. Unauthorized repairs that you subsequently wish to charge to the landlord are only legally enforceable in exceptional cases and with prior notice.<\/p>\n<h2>Does textile air distribution help against drafts in buildings?<\/h2>\n<p>Yes, textile air distribution systems address one of the most common yet often overlooked causes of drafts in buildings: excessively high air outlet velocities from conventional ventilation outlets. While traditional sheet metal ducts blow air into a room at a single point and at comparatively high speeds, <a href=\"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/textile-air-ducts-basics\/\">textile air ducts<\/a> distribute the supply air evenly across their entire surface.<\/p>\n<p>The principle behind this is the permeability of the fabric: air passes through fine pores in the textile at very low velocity, so no perceptible draft is created, even when the system is running at full capacity. The result is an even temperature distribution throughout the room with no cold zones or uncomfortable draft areas.<\/p>\n<h2>How Kienzler Klima helps with draft problems caused by ventilation systems<\/h2>\n<p>If drafts in your building are caused not by leaky windows but by the ventilation system itself, we are the right contact for you. At Kienzler Klima, we have been developing and manufacturing textile air distribution systems for over 30 years that address exactly this problem at its root. Our solutions are not only technically superior but also economical: compared to conventional sheet metal systems, our <a href=\"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/countless-variation-options\/\">textile air distribution systems<\/a> enable savings of up to 60 percent on material and installation costs.<\/p>\n<p>What we offer you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Individual design of each textile duct for the specific application<\/li>\n<li>Draft-free, uniform air distribution through permeable fabric surfaces<\/li>\n<li>Production in Germany with an average delivery time of just 14 days<\/li>\n<li>Cradle-to-Cradle certification for sustainable building concepts<\/li>\n<li>Use in <a href=\"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/can-be-used-in-all-areas-and-industries\/\">a wide range of industries and applications<\/a>, from offices and laboratories to production halls<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Whether new construction, renovation, or optimization of an existing system: get in touch with us. We will advise you specifically on which system is suitable for your requirements and how you can permanently eliminate drafts in your building. <a href=\"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/contact-us\/\">Contact us now<\/a> and receive an individual assessment from our experts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- .vgblk-rw-wrapper --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fix drafts in your rental apartment without breaking the bank: what tenants can handle themselves and when it&#8217;s the landlord&#8217;s responsibility.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":999608,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-997614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-unkategorisiert"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/997614","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=997614"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/997614\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":997711,"href":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/997614\/revisions\/997711"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/999608"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=997614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=997614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kienzler-klima.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=997614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}