Avoid Making This Faucet Cover Installation Mistake At All Costs

When winter rolls around and temperatures dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, you need to take steps to protect faucets and prevent pipes from freezing. Outdoor faucets are especially vulnerable to the cold, so many homeowners install faucet covers to provide extra insulation and minimize freezing risk. Despite their good intentions, however, many people make faucet cover installation mistakes that cause them to fail in their protective duties.

Positioning a faucet cover incorrectly and creating gaps for air to get in is a major mistake that should be avoided at all costs. When installing a faucet cover, place it correctly and secure it against the wall to eliminate gaps. An outdoor faucet cover will have a rubber loop that you need to place around the faucet and a slide lock that you need to tighten. Slip-over bag faucet covers will have a drawstring for security.

Be sure to follow all instructions when tightening the outdoor faucet cover you're using. Position the cover securely to prevent leaks. You can then add caulk around the edges of the cover to keep it tightly sealed and minimize the cold air that reaches your spigot.

Although you should tighten a faucet cover to keep it pressed up against the wall, make sure that you've positioned it correctly first. A common mistake is installing the outdoor faucet cover upside down. Always position the faucet cover right side up to ensure it will fit snugly over your faucet and can be secured correctly.

You should also take care to choose a faucet cover that's the correct size for your outdoor faucet. A faucet cover that's too small won't cover your faucet completely. A larger cover may be difficult to secure and likely won't insulate the faucet well. Measure the outdoor faucet before you go to the store so that you can find a cover that's perfect for it.

A final mistake to avoid is installing a DIY faucet cover that doesn't provide adequate insulation. Although you can DIY a faucet cover with a few household items, homeowners don't always do it correctly. Making a DIY faucet cover out of an old t-shirt, towel, or another cloth material can work well, but make sure you provide enough insulation. Include enough material and secure the DIY faucet cover tightly to prevent your faucet from freezing once temperatures go down.