oliver_mitchell•29d agoTop Commenter

Did this for 3 years before a neighbor pointed out my mistake

I was leaving my rain barrel hooked up all winter. Every spring I wondered why my garden flooded and the barrel was cracked. My neighbor Matt finally asked why I didn't disconnect the downspout before the first freeze. That night I found a 4-foot crack along the bottom and the spigot was shot. Cost me about $80 to replace it. Has anyone else had a simple fix they missed for years?

2 comments

2 Comments

rowan_butler9329d ago

Matt's 80 bucks sounds right, but I actually think leaving the barrel hooked up isn't the real mistake here. I live in Minnesota and keep mine connected all winter with no problems, just need to make sure it's completely empty before the deep cold hits so expanding ice doesn't wreck it.

ryang6529d ago

You're right that emptying the barrel is key, but I gotta say leaving it hooked up all winter in Minnesota is a bigger gamble than you think. Even a completely empty barrel can still have a tiny bit of water trapped in the threads or the valve seat, and once that freezes solid it can crack the brass fitting. I've seen guys blow out their whole setup with just a little moisture left behind, and a cracked valve is way more than 80 bucks to fix. Better to disconnect, drain it, and store the valve in a warm spot just to be safe.