do you leave your rain barrels connected in the winter?

[stealth]

Just wondering, dont they freeze/block up/overflow?
We have a couple, not sure if I should re-direct back to drain? We dont have mandatory downspout disconnect here.

[gman]

Just wondering, dont they freeze/block up/overflow?
We have a couple, not sure if I should re-direct back to drain? We dont have mandatory downspout disconnect here.

I was lazy about that. I just drained the barrel and let the hose open.
I guess I should have done better than that such as covering the barrel and redirect downspout over the barrel to the back yard.
So far, my rain barrel is still in good shape.

[Kevinck]

I was lazy about that. I just drained the barrel and let the hose open.
I guess I should have done better than that such as covering the barrel and redirect downspout over the barrel to the back yard.
So far, my rain barrel is still in good shape.

The first year i just left the drain on the barrel open. that froze/plugged up and then when the rest of the barrel froze it cracked thus destroying the barrel.

Since then drain and turn my barrels upside down.

[sunshineshara]

Water for Tomorrow has information on winterizing your rain barrel

[tomw]

flip upside down

[Tyme]

The first year i just left the drain on the barrel open. that froze/plugged up and then when the rest of the barrel froze it cracked thus destroying the barrel.

Since then drain and turn my barrels upside down.

Had the same thing happen to us. We put them int he shed now.

[MacGyver]

Ours go under the deck and the original downspouts get reconnected.

[gman]

This year, I took the advice and flip it upside down. I did not reconnect the downspout because well, I threw that away.
Anyway, rain will go down the downspout to the bottom of the barrel (the bottom is now facing up).
There is a tunnel for the overthrow tube in the bottom. I turned the barrel 90 degree so that the tunnel is parallel to the wall.
Rain from the downspout will be directed left or right of that tunnel. So, it is kind of perfect.

By the way, my barrel is pretty strong. It was frozen solid in previous years. It was not cracked. Also, it is pretty heavy. Hence, it won't be easily blown away by wind when it is empty.

[don242]

I disconnect from the rain spout. I have a piece for the winter and a piece for the spring so it is quick to slip one off and put on the other. The barrels themselves I empty but usually don't flip them over. We have three connected together so flipping them means separating them so I don't bother.

[gman]

This year, I took the advice and flip it upside down. I did not reconnect the downspout because well, I threw that away.
Anyway, rain will go down the downspout to the bottom of the barrel (the bottom is now facing up).
There is a tunnel for the overthrow tube in the bottom. I turned the barrel 90 degree so that the tunnel is parallel to the wall.
Rain from the downspout will be directed left or right of that tunnel. So, it is kind of perfect.

By the way, my barrel is pretty strong. It was frozen solid in previous years. It was not cracked. Also, it is pretty heavy. Hence, it won't be easily blown away by wind when it is empty.

Oh! One thing I did not mention and may be misleading. It was not cracked but it does not mean it won't be cracked.
The barrel did expand in the previous year. I assume if it keeps on fill, frozen, expand, melt, fill, ...., it will eventually crack.
The side of the barrel that is against the wall was flat so that it could lean of the wall perfectly. That side was popped out. It is more a round barrel now.
I assume it is because it was frozen in the winter.

[freebie]

Hmm interesting, didn't really think of removing the rain barrels. Just got 2 of them this summer after mandatory downspout disconnection... wouldn't want to see the new rain barrels ruined after its first winter season!