Winter is tough on barrels. ICE IN BARREL can cause permanent damage and is not covered by the warranty.
We recommend winterizing your barrel during freezing months. Empty or drain your rain barrel, remove spigot to storing for winter. When possible, store your rain barrel in a protected indoor area. If the rain barrel must remain outside, either turn it upside down and secure it, or weight it down by storing garden equipment inside the barrel. Then put a heavy plastic bag over the top to prevent animal in-habitation and water accumulation which can freeze, expand, and potentially crack the barrel wall. Barrels will last for a lifetime with a little care.
Using the Save the Rain Diverter can provide an easy solution to reassembling your downspouts. During the water collection season, the diverter stays open and diverts water into the barrel. When you put your barrel away for the winter you simply close the flap on the diverter and your downspout resumes its original function without having to reassemble it.
