Just follow these simple steps to cut off the water to your outside faucets to protect the faucets from freezing:

1. Find the Cutoff Valve for the Outside Faucet

Unless you have freeze-proof outside faucets, you'll need to protect all outside faucets from freezing weather by turning off the stop-and-waste valves inside the house.

First, you'll need to find the right valve. In the accompanying photo, you can see that the inside valves have been labeled. That makes identification simple.

If your valves aren't labeled but both the valves and the pipes leading outside are visible - in an open ceiling, for example - you can trace each pipe back from the place where it exits the house to find the control valve for that faucet.

If your valves aren't labeled and your pipes aren't visible, work with a partner. Turn the outside faucet on a little, then test the valves in the basement one by one. If you've both got cell phones, or the person outside can use a cordless phone extension, communication is fast and easy.