oliver_mitchell•2mo 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?

3 comments

3 Comments

rowan_butler932mo 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.

ryang652mo 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.

spencer_moore391mo ago

Yeah I've been there man. One year I thought I got every drop out but there was still a little bit sitting in the threads of the valve and sure enough it froze and split the brass right down the side. Cost me half a Saturday to replace it and track down a new fitting that matched. Now I always pull the valve off, shake it out good, and toss it in a bucket in the garage where it stays above freezing. That little bit of extra effort saves you from waking up to a puddle in the spring.