Therefore they need to convince me that it's worth my time to leave my warm cozy house and face sub-zero temperatures.

That means the the wild swings in temperature can make my problem even more common.

@Ryan Haase To follow-on to @Steve Babiak, there are several models of front-load, high-efficiency washing machines on the market which have built-in, in-line water heaters, which may be able to provide sufficient heat if your source water temperature is not too cold.  

Someone had abandoned a project halfway through and it sat, in unregulated temperatures for years.We pretty much redid the entire place.

Accurate pricing is fundamental regardless of the temperature of housing, especially in a declining market.

That said, if the roof isn't leaking and there are no substantial signs of damage, I can't imagine why he would need to replace it as long as it's still doing everything it was intended to do (keeping water out, helping regulate the temperature of the house, keeping pests out, protection from the elements, etc.).My questions is, has your dad filed an insurance claim, or just asking questions? 

My vehicle displays the ambient outdoor temperature. 

What is the average temperature in the United States right now?  

Short of all that, you can hire a contractor to relocate the temperature controls to an inconspicuous location and disconnect the current control to become non-functional.

Next time, we'll check inside temperature every day.