A frozen outdoor faucet is a disaster you do not discover until spring. The pipe inside the wall cracks, and the first time you turn the water back on, it sprays inside your basement instead of outside your house. I know because a friend paid two thousand dollars to fix exactly this.

Those foam faucet covers at the hardware store work fine. But a pool noodle works just as well and costs a dollar.

How to Do It

Cut a pool noodle into six-inch sections — a bread knife works perfectly. Slice one side lengthwise so it opens like a hot dog bun. Wrap it around the faucet, secure with zip ties or duct tape, and leave it there until spring.

The foam insulates the faucet from freezing temperatures. It is the same closed-cell foam as the expensive covers, just not pre-shaped. Two sections stacked together cover even the longest faucets.

Do Not Forget the Shutoff Valve

The noodle is backup protection. The real defense is the indoor shutoff valve. Find it — usually in the basement or crawl space on the wall closest to the outdoor faucet. Turn it off, then go outside and open the faucet to drain the remaining water. Close the faucet again, then put the noodle on. With the water drained, there is nothing inside the pipe to freeze and expand.

Also Works on Exposed Pipes

If you have any water pipes running through an unheated garage or crawl space, split a noodle lengthwise and wrap them. Secure with zip ties every foot. A dollar noodle saves you from a burst pipe and a flooded floor.