Weatherstripping plays an important yet often overlooked role in maintaining the temperature of your home. There are several options for material to be added around your doors and windows to prevent air leaks, keeping drafts from entering during the winter and cool air from escaping in the summer.

Over time, this material will start to fray, crack, or otherwise suffer damage. It can also wear out faster as a result of friction due to the opening of doors or windows. Once this occurs, the weatherstripping will be less efficient at providing a tight seal and should be replaced.

Damaged weatherstripping is typically easy to spot. Douglas Trattner, writing for the National Association of Realtors' home improvement site HouseLogic, says the material may be peeling away from the surface or missing entirely. It may also look dry or brittle.

Some types of weatherstripping are simply stuck onto a surface with adhesive, and the older material can be pulled or scraped off. If the weatherstripping has been attached with nails or other fasteners, you'll need to find and remove them to get rid of the worn out material.

Before you add new weatherstripping, prepare your doors and windows for the new application. Nail holes should be filled with wood putty or another appropriate sealer. For stick-on weatherstripping, use an adhesive remover or sandpaper to ensure that no sticky residue remains on the frame.

Look at your options for new weatherstripping and decide which one will work best for you. The Department of Energy says it should be able to withstand the temperatures and friction common at the site. Windows and doors that are frequently opened or closed should have weatherstripping that is resilient against friction, since there will be plenty of movement in the frame.

Each type of weatherstripping will have its advantages and disadvantages. Felt or foam weatherstripping is inexpensive and easy to install, but is also more visible, less effective at blocking airflow, and will need to be replaced more frequently. Vinyl weatherstripping is more expensive, but popular since it is relatively easy to install, effective at blocking drafts, and more long-lasting. Metal weatherstripping can be highly effective and visually pleasing, but also difficult to install.

When you are installing the material on your own, accurate measurements are essential. Measure the frames of any doors and windows you will be adding weatherstripping to, and buy 5 to 10 percent more material to account for imperfect cuts and other wastage. Follow the "measure twice, cut once" rule when cutting pieces for a door or window frame.

Check for any other special requirements as well. Some materials should only be installed when it is not too cold.

Make sure the material will work well before completing the entire door or window. Trattner says you can install weatherstripping in one area of the frame, then make sure the door or window opens without issue.

Don't leave any gaps in the installation. The Department of Energy says weatherstripping on a door should be put up in one long strip along the sides, and should meet tightly at the corners. The material should compress to form a tight seal when the door or window is closed, but not make doors or windows any more difficult to open or close.

Door sweeps are often an effective way of preventing drafts that enter underneath a door. The magazine Family Handyman says this component should be carefully measured, since you don't want it to be constantly rubbing against the carpet or floor.