Weatherproofing and Weatherstripping Your Home
Weatherproofing your home doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. There are many fine but expensive products and procedures to seal your home from the outside elements such as high R-factor insulating boards, spray on applications, etc. These products work very well, but are they cost effective? In other words the cost of the energy sometimes is cheaper than the solutions especially in older homes.
There are some things you need to understand before you start spending money to make your home more energy efficient. Ask the question, what is the single biggest reason the outside elements are trying to invade the inside elements? The answer is very simple, negative air pressure on the inside; the next question is what causes this condition? Think of your HVAC air return as a great big suction pump, sucking the air out of your house in order to condition it. Ideally you want the source of the air to come from the a/c duct grills not from penetrations in your exterior walls.
Simply look for penetrations that is allowing negative air pressure to draw outside air into your home. On the exterior of your home look for gaps or holes around electrical wires, refrigerant lines, cable and telephone lines, water faucets, gaps in brick freezes, holes in siding, etc.
On the interior look for air spaces around windows, doors, or any other penetrations such as pet doors etc. A quarter inch gap under an exterior door can equate to a hole the size of a dinner plate. Electrical outlets and switches are sucking air from the hot attic through the electrical wire feed holes into and out of the attic. If you have the older type 
can lights, they have large holes in the housing which is an easy draw of hot air. Another very productive maneuver is to turn you’re A/C or heater on and you may be able to feel drafts where air is entering your house.
If you feel you need help there are companies that will conduct an energy audit and will provide a written report suggesting tips to make your home more energy efficient. Check with your local electric and gas utility company to see if they offer energy audit services, or can refer you to private sources for this service.
Improperly sealed homes can account for approximately 15 percent of your heating and cooling dollars. There are inexpensive products on the market that will help you with all of these air leak problems that can be purchased at your local hardware store. See my article on this site entitled, Types of Weatherstripping for Windows and Doors.
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