Winter water tank lessons from a 50 degree swing

I keep my rain barrel outside for garden water and last January we had that weird warm snap then a hard freeze right after. I did NOT drain it down enough and the ice pressure split the plastic right down the side. Ruined a 55 gallon barrel I got for $40 at a yard sale. Now I bring them inside the basement every November no matter how mild the forecast looks. Anybody else find a cheap way to patch those poly barrels or is it always a lost cause?

3 comments

3 Comments

jessica_miller2mo ago

Aw man, I tried duct tape once. Lasted about a week.

cameronb522mo ago

Duct tape for a week? @jessica_miller I gotta be real, that sounds like you got your money's worth. Those cracks aren't that deep, it's not like water is gonna flood the garage if it sits there a few more months. People act like every little leak is a disaster. I'd just slap a piece of that gorilla tape over it and call it a day. If it holds for a week or two, by then you'll forget it's even there.

evan_jenkins2mo ago

Tried flex seal on a similar crack once. Did a whole big production, three coats, let it cure for two days straight. First good rain and it was weeping water like some kind of weird garden fountain. I mean, maybe it's just me but that stuff is better at making messes than fixing them. Idk, I think sometimes it's just cheaper to buy another beat up barrel off Facebook marketplace than keep fighting with patches that don't want to stay put.