Buried $200 in a fancy rain barrel that froze solid in November

I bought this big 50-gallon rain barrel from a garden supply place last spring, thought it would save on my water bill for my little vegetable patch. Come November, I forgot to drain it before the first hard freeze and the whole thing cracked right down the side, water everywhere. Was it supposed to be winter-proof? The box said nothing about cold weather, but I guess that's on me for assuming. Has anyone else had a rain barrel bust on them, or is there a brand out there that actually handles freezing?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_lee21d ago

Heard from a neighbor that you can wrap them in insulation foam or just drain them before winter hits.

elizabeths5121d ago

A buddy of mine tried the insulation foam route and ended up with a mess of frozen pipes anyway, @the_lee. Draining them seems way simpler and less of a headache.

josephmartin20d ago

Draining is the way to go, foam just traps moisture and causes rust later.