Can't Find Faucet Covers? Your Chick-fil-A Cup Will Work (Seriously)

Can't Find Foam Faucet Covers? Try This Instead

McMaster's called a State of Emergency for this weekend's ice storm. They're saying three-quarters of an inch of ice starting Saturday, worst part Saturday night into Sunday. My phone's been ringing all day - everyone's scrambling to winterize. Sounds like hardware stores are running low. Faucet covers and pipe insulation are hard to come by right now.

If you can't track one down, here's what I want you to know: check your car. You might already have what you need.

The Chick-fil-A Cup Solution

You know that Styrofoam cup from Chick-fil-A? Turns out it'll protect your outdoor faucets. Sounds crazy, right? But Styrofoam is actual insulation - works on the same idea as those foam covers everyone's hunting for.

Here's the deal with frozen pipes: water expands when it freezes. Creates enough pressure to split metal and PVC wide open. Outdoor faucets get hit the hardest because they're just sitting out there exposed. When the power cuts out (and it will), the heat from inside your house won't do a thing for them.

Here's How to Do It:

1. Grab a large or extra-large Styrofoam cup from Chick-fil-A (or wherever)
2. Poke a hole in the bottom - just big enough for your rubber band/string
3. Run a rubber band or string through that hole
4. Tie a pen or pencil on the outside so it won't pull back through
5. Slide it over your faucet and hook the rubber band around to hold it tight
6. Got more cups? Stack 'em for better insulation

Your neighbors will probably stare. But here's why it works: Styrofoam is full of tiny air pockets. Those pockets trap air between the cold outside and your metal faucet.

Why This Actually Works

Styrofoam is 95% trapped air. All those little air bubbles are what make it insulate so well - same reason your Yeti keeps drinks cold forever. The cup puts a layer of dead air around your faucet, which slows down how fast the cold gets through.

Better than a real faucet cover? No. But if you can't find one or just need something fast, this'll do the job.

You Can Stack Multiple Cups

Pro tip: got a few cups lying around? Stack two or three before you put them on. More layers, more insulation. Just punch the hole through all of them at once, thread your rubber band through the whole stack, and boom - you've got a multi-layer cover.

Other Quick Protections (Do These Tonight)

The cup helps, but don't stop there:

Disconnect your garden hoses - Water stuck in a hose will freeze and push back into your pipe. I see this wreck more pipes than just about anything.

Let faucets drip starting Saturday - Anything on an outside wall needs to drip slow once it's below freezing. Water that's moving won't freeze as fast.

Open cabinet doors under sinks - If they're on outside walls, crack those doors open. Let the warm air from your house get to those pipes.

Know where your shut-offs are - Go find your main water shut-off right now. When something bursts, you've gotta move fast.

For more winter related plumbing, check out our residential plumbing page.

If Your Pipes Freeze Anyway

You'll know - turn the faucet and you get a dribble or nothing.

What to do:

1. Keep the faucet open - when it thaws, water's gotta go somewhere
2. Heat it gently - hairdryer, heating pad, hot towels
3. Don't use fire - I've watched people break out blowtorches. Don't.
4. Call us at (864) 313-1289 if you need help

Our leak detection services can find hidden damage after the thaw.

Bottom Line

About 36 hours left. Doesn't matter if you get a real faucet cover or use a Styrofoam cup - just get something on those outdoor faucets.

Might look stupid sitting there on your spigot, but it beats paying thousands for water damage. Takes 10 minutes. Do it tonight.

[Watch the demonstration video here]

Questions?

Give us a call. (864) 313-1289 or swing by plumbingheroes.com for more tips.

Stay safe, Greenville.

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