Tag: thermostat

Pre-Winter Checklist: What Home Systems to Inspect Before the Freeze

As fall turns to winter here in southwestern Pennsylvania, even a few overlooked maintenance items can lead to costly surprises. From frozen pipes to failing furnaces, now is the time to inspect and prepare your home’s major systems before the first real cold snap hits.

Here’s Hill Property Inspections’ professional pre-winter checklist—drawn from years of inspecting homes across Cambria, Somerset, Westmoreland, Blair, Indiana, Bedford and surrounding Counties.

1. Roof & Attic: Stop Leaks Before They Start

Your roof is your first line of defense against snow and ice.

• Inspect shingles for curling, cracking, or missing pieces—especially near valleys and chimneys.

• Check flashing around vents, skylights, and penetrations. Even small gaps can lead to leaks when ice accumulates.

• Look inside the attic for dark stains, damp insulation, or visible daylight—these are red flags for air leaks or roof damage.

• Verify ventilation. Proper airflow through soffit and ridge vents helps prevent condensation and ice damming.

Pro Tip: If you can see frost or moisture on attic nails, your ventilation or insulation is out of balance.

2. Gutters & Downspouts: Direct Water Away

Clogged gutters can create ice dams that force melting snow under your roof covering.

• Clear all leaves and debris. Flush the system with water to ensure flow.

• Confirm downspout extensions discharge at least 4–6 feet from the foundation.

• Inspect grading. Soil should slope away from the house—at least 6 inches over the first 10 feet.

These small adjustments prevent foundation seepage and protect basement walls through the wet freeze-thaw season.

3. HVAC System: Clean, Service, and Test

Cold weather exposes weak heating systems fast.

• Replace furnace filters and ensure registers are open and unobstructed.

• Have your furnace or boiler serviced by a qualified technician. Annual cleaning keeps efficiency high and reduces carbon monoxide risk.

• Test the thermostat and inspect vent connections for rust or gaps.

• Consider an infrared scan (available with Hill Property Inspections) to check for air leakage and uneven heat distribution.

If your system is older, now’s also the time to budget for an upgrade or backup source.

4. Plumbing & Water Systems: Prevent Freezing

Frozen pipes are among the most common—and costly—winter emergencies.

• Disconnect garden hoses and drain exterior faucets.

• Insulate exposed pipes in unheated crawlspaces, basements, or garages.

• Locate your main water shut-off valve and make sure every adult in the household knows how to use it.

• If you have a sump pump, test it. Pour water into the basin and confirm automatic operation.

For homes on private wells, ensure the well pit or pressure tank area is insulated and protected from drafts.

5. Safety Devices: Test and Replace Batteries

• Smoke and CO detectors: test each unit and replace batteries.

• Fire extinguishers: ensure at least one is rated for A-B-C use and stored where it’s visible and easy to access.

• Dryer vent: clean out lint buildup to reduce fire risk.

6. Exterior & Entry Points: Keep the Cold Out

• Seal gaps around doors and windows with weatherstripping or caulk.

• Inspect exterior lighting for proper operation—shorter days require dependable fixtures.

• Check sidewalks and handrails for damage before freeze events make repairs difficult.

Final Thoughts

A pre-winter inspection is more than a checklist—it’s preventive insurance. By tackling these simple tasks now, you protect your roof, foundation, and comfort all season long.

If you’d rather have a certified professional evaluate these systems for you, Hill Property Inspections offers comprehensive pre-winter assessments, infrared scans, and maintenance inspectionsthroughout southwestern Pennsylvania.

Schedule your winter-readiness inspection today:

📞 1-833-HILL-PRO

🌐 www.hillinspections.com

Hill Property Inspections, LLC is a full-service residential and commercial inspection firm based in the Johnstown, PA area.

Smart Thermostats: A No-brainer

Nowadays, just about anything in a home can be controlled remotely or hands-free with “smart” devices, from lights to outlets, garage doors, doorbells, and beyond. While smart devices offer obvious advantages, few are as advantageous as smart thermostats – at least in terms of saving money.

For houses we inspect that have an older mechanical thermostat, we often include a “tip” comment in our report and encourage the client to consider upgrading to a smart thermostat, such as the popular Google Nest (although many manufacturers now make similar models). With an older, mechanical thermostat, the stat has to be physically changed, in the home, as desired. With a smart thermostat, however, the device can be set to automatically adjust the temperature setting at predetermined times, eliminating the need for in-person operation, or remembering to actually do it for that matter. The thermostat adjusts on its own, allowing for a true “set it and forget it” experience.

Programmable thermostats, which have been around for quite a while, offer this feature; but unlike a modern smart thermostat, they do not allow you to adjust settings remotely with a cell phone, tablet or computer from nearly anywhere. Maybe you’re gone on vacation, hours from home, and realize the thermostat is still programmed to normal temperatures that aren’t needed while you’re away. With a standard programmable thermostat, you’re stuck with some wasted energy and a higher heating/cooling bill while you’re gone; but if you have a newer smart thermostat, you can simply alter the settings right from where you are with a few clicks on a screen.

You may assume that this type of convenience and potential cost savings comes with an initially high and cost-prohibitive price tag, but the cost is surprisingly low – especially when compared to the payback time relative to your initial investment. On average, purchasing a smart thermostat and having it installed will set you back about $400-$500 in most areas, but you’ll quickly earn that money back in energy cost savings – often in less than a year. This is especially true for systems that run on fuel that tends to be expensive or that fluctuates somewhat dramatically in price, like fuel oil for example. Not only that, but a smart thermostat actually learns your temperature setting habits and tracks data related to your energy usage to provide at-a-glance feedback you can monitor to make the most of your system’s efficiency.

If you don’t already have a smart thermostat (or at least a programmable model), do yourself a favor and get one installed as soon as possible. Regardless of the specific type and model you choose, be sure to actually program it and track your cost to make the most of its cost saving benefits. You’ll earn your money back quickly and will enjoy savings long into the future.

*To visit our main website, go to http://www.hillinspections.com.