1. Disconnect all hoses from the spigot outside your home. If you leave your hoses connected the water inside of them will freeze and expand, which may lead to the connecting pipes and faucets inside of your home to freeze and eventually break.
2. Ensure that the outside faucets are empty and not leaking. Inspect the faucets outside of your home, if any of them are dripping or leaking, make the necessary repairs to fix this. When an outside faucet drips during freezing temperatures the water can turn into ice and block the flow of the water. This water then pools inside of the pipe and will eventually freeze, causing the pipe to expand and burst.
3. Cover the external spigots . You can buy an inexpensive covers from any local home improvement store.
4. Make sure to unplug automatic lawn sprinkler system. Spraying water onto the road or sidewalks can lead to safety hazards and expensive repairs.
5. Insulate an exposed pipes. An easy way to do that is to cut a pool noodle lengthwise down the middle and wrap it around the pipe. Of course there is a wide variety of other pipe insulation materials on the market so you can choose the one that fits the best for you.
6. Prepare your water heater. If you have a traditional tank water heater it will have to work extra hard during the cold months. It is a good idea to use time in the fall to flush the tank and double-check to make sure the temperature is set at 120 degrees.
