Finally, be sure you turn off the exterior water in your home
. During the summer months you use outdoor water sources for the garden, the watering can, or washing down the patio. When the temperatures begin to drop, you will need to make sure the water flow is stopped so you can avoid freezing. The water pipes in your home are insulated from freezing, but the exterior pipes do not have this benefit. By turning the water off, you are preventing a flooding disaster because no water will be in the pipe to be affected by the bitter cold temperatures. This only takes a few seconds to handle, but it can save you thousands of dollars in damage and plenty of unnecessary winter headaches.