If you live in a part of the country where the temperature dips below freezing, you should not leave your hoses connected to outside faucets. Whether these are “Frost-free” type faucets or old style faucets that have interior shut-offs to drain the outside faucet, the hoses should be removed. Water that remains in the hose can defeat the purpose of both types of faucets. Many homes have frost-free hose faucets. These faucets actually have a long tube that runs to the interior space and the handle of the faucet has a long stem that runs inside the tube and shuts the water off inside the house----making the valve less likely to freeze. When the valve is shut off the tube drains ----unless there is a hose on it out (at least it should if it is sloped the correct way). Leaving the hose in place will defeat this function of the faucet. If you have an older home without frost-free type faucets there “should” be interior shut-offs so that the outside valves can drain the pipes. Not operating this interior shut-off clearly leaves the valve vulnerable to freezing regardless of whether there is a hose on it or not. Some people like to put insulating foam caps over these valves and keep their fingers crossed. These caps should not be unnecessary on frost-free type faucets. I have seen these caps actually fill up with ice from VERY minor leaking of the valve and then this ice backs up into the tube where it can damage the valve. This can happen with either type of valve. As a Seattle Home Inspector when I find hoses in place from October 1st until April 1st, I do not re-install the hoses after I test the valves for water pressure. It will vary around the country, depending on how cold it gets, as to when you should leave your hoses disconnected in cold weather. In Minnesota never leaving them in place might be a good idea. Just kidding Reuben. 
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR HOSES ARE?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Click on the Rose 
to check out: AHA!---A Forum of Landmark Proportions---your Group
PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)
all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.
My WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures and some selected POEMS & STORIES.
Being from Minnesota, I knew not to leave a hose attached to the hydrant, but in Seattle I forget too often and often find myself heading out side after dark at the first sign of cold sheets.
Charles - I will start looking for the frost free faucets. Our house is only 13 years old but the water to the outside taps is shut off inside the house (well hidden behind ceiling panels so always a chore in the fall an spring). I get a kick out of sellers who leave their hoses hooked up and hanging outside and it is January in Canada. What????? Again for Buyers this is just another sign that the house was not well cared for.
Charles - Little things mean a lot. It's sometimes those simple and often overlooked chores that have the potential to cause big problems.
Mr Charles,
As you stated, these hose bibbs will drain only if they are sloped in the correct direction at the time of installation. I have seen them with the slope the wrong direction. When I do, I get very flustered.
Nutsy, cerfifried
Around here most open the faucet,turn off the water from inside,let the water all drain out and close the faucet.
Last time my neighbor left a hose on it split into 3 sections lol
Enjoy the day
Glenn, the problem in Seattle is that most of the time we can get away with it----that leads to it not even being on our radar.
Valerie, it is hard to imagine a 13 year old house that does not have frost-free hose bibs----as a builder I was installing them in the mid 70's----are you sure yours are not already?
John, ice and metal pipes are as bad as electricity and water :)
Nutcase----I thought you were in Connecticut?
Don, you should really leave that faucet open. If the inside valve leaks even a little bit it will fill up that pipe to the outside valve and then it will freeze anyway.
This just confirms my desire to never move to snow area. The only time I want to see snow is while watching a football game on TV, or when on vacation and I am setting inside by the fire watching it with a warm drink in hand.
Just a note for Gene - I am sure you have heard "If life gives you lemons, then it is time to make lemonade." Here in the cold zone - "If life gives you snow, then it is time to strap on the skates and go to the canal."
Photo credit: Rideau and Laurier @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/63056612@N00/18442996/
Okay - it looks good but man it can get cold.
Gene, I would much rather go to it than have it come to me :)
Valerie----then again there is lying on the beach :) Ice skating is fun though---isn't that what indoor rinks are for?
October 1st is a little early for us Connecitians. It does and has been getting cool at night, but not any where near freezing.
Jim, I can remember some Halloween nights landing on my ass on the ice trick or treating----but then there is global warming :)
I have time, lots of time. But great idea for a "reminder" post when the time draws near for our first freeze. Right now we're at 95 :) and tonight HOPEFULLY it will get down the high 60s.
So, I shut it off the valve outside and open the valve inside? I can remember that. I hope Reuben does too!
Is it time for my famous fall to-do list?
(big grin) Good reminder, Charles. One more point to add - another home inspector told me his frost-free sillcock actually froze and burst because he didn't install it with a proper downward pitch, so the water didn't drain out when it was shut off. When I can see the stem, I check to make sure it's pitched away from the house.
Jay - If you're trying to make your pipe burst, yes!
I had been traveling the last week, and missed your awesome posts. Thanks for this one. I don't really think about this, since it doesn't snow out in the bay area of California.
Tammy that is too hot :)
Jay, most likely
Reuben, I see that a lot with bevel siding and they don't put the tapered spacer between the valve and the siding.
Chris, yes----most likely not necessary down your way.
Hey Reubs - (;>) !
But you already knew that...
Jay - back atcha.
great reminder. I can't tell you, how many first-time homebuyers don't know this... they need to be informed. In fact, there are a lot of "long-time" homeowners who don't know this, but learn the hard way in spring.
Jay and Reuben---behave :)
Alan, my people are totally unprepared for home ownership