Getting Your Home Ready for a Western Pennsylvania Winter
A practical November checklist for Westmoreland County homeowners — freeze-proofing, heating prep, and the small fixes that prevent big winter bills.
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Western Pennsylvania winters aren't extreme, but they're long and wet. The damage we see in February usually started as a small problem in October that nobody got to. Here's the short, practical list we'd run on our own houses.
Freeze-proofing
- Disconnect and drain hoses. A hose left attached to an outdoor spigot is the most common cause of burst pipes we see in January.
- Insulate exposed pipes. Especially in crawl spaces, garages, and along exterior walls. Foam sleeves are $1.50 a foot and prevent thousand-dollar repairs.
- Know where your main shutoff is. If you don't know now, you really don't want to be finding it at 2 a.m. with water spraying.
- Seal foundation gaps. Mice come inside as soon as nights drop below 50°F. Steel wool plus expanding foam in any gap larger than 1/4".
Heating system
- Annual furnace tune-up. $120–$200 and it catches the small problems that cause January no-heat calls.
- Fresh filter. A dirty filter is the #1 cause of forced-air heating failures.
- Test the thermostat. Battery-powered models fail without warning when batteries die in the cold.
- Bleed radiators if you have hot water heat. Common in older homes in Latrobe and Greensburg. Listen for gurgling.
Roof and gutters before snow
- Final gutter clean after leaf drop. Ice dams form when gutters can't drain.
- Check attic insulation. R-49 is the modern standard for our climate zone. Most older homes are at R-19 to R-30 and would benefit from a top-up.
- Look for daylight at the eaves. Gaps in the soffit are entry points for wind-driven snow and squirrels.
Walkways and access
- Stock ice melt before the first storm. Hardware stores sell out fast in late December.
- Fix loose railings now. The most common injury claim on residential properties is a fall on icy steps with a loose handrail.
- Mark driveway edges. Stakes prevent plow damage to landscaping.
Common Questions
01What's the single most important winter prep item?+
Disconnecting outdoor hoses and shutting off the supply to outdoor spigots. A burst hose bib can dump 100+ gallons inside the wall before anyone notices, and the resulting damage often runs $8,000–$25,000.
02Should I have my chimney inspected every year?+
If you burn wood, yes. If you have gas logs, every 2–3 years is fine. Creosote buildup is the leading cause of chimney fires.
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