How Do I Winterize My Rain Barrel

The growing season is coming to an end, the grass is going dormant, the leaves are dropping from the trees and there really isn't much need for outdoor watering in the winter. So, what now? What about all that rain water I collected in my beautiful rain barrels? Face it, it's time to start thinking about cold weather and preparing your rain barrel for freezing temperatures.

If you live in a climate where it rarely gets below freezing during the year, you probably won't need to worry about your barrel freezing into a giant ice cube...er...ice barrel. Honestly, I leave my barrels setup all year long to test various configurations and the integrity of all the components I sell.

If you are like most people, you will need to winterize your barrel.

- Drain all the water out and divert the downspout away from the barrel so that it does not refill.

- Once the water is completely drained from the barrel it is the perfect time to clean the inside of the barrel. If you put up a white or "natural" colored barrel, you most certainly have algae growing on the inside. (If you don't, consider yourself lucky.) You will also have a small amount of sediment that did not wash out the overflow or through the spigot. Spray it out with a garden hose or use a light bleach solution.

- White/Natural barrels tend to break down faster in the sunlight than colored barrels do. Inspect your barrels for cracks.

- Inspect all the fittings for wear. I have noticed more problems out of the brass fittings that are left out all winter than the plastic ones. If your spigot is threaded directly into the wall of the barrel or is sealed with caulk around its threads, now is the perfect time to retrofit your barrel with a bulkhead fitting. This easy update can save you a lot of worry in the future.

That's about it. You should be done is 30 minutes or less and you will be ready to go when spring rolls back around.

For more information on rain barrels or rain barrel parts, visit my webstite: www.AtlantaRainBarrels.com