Latest Guides

How to Fix a Leaking Rain Barrel Spigot (and Other Leaks) A leaking rain barrel spigot is usually fixed in 15 minutes with a new rubber washer and a few wraps of plumber’s Teflon tape. Find the leak first — most leaks are at the spigot, not the barrel wall — then drain the barrel […]

Rain barrel water smells bad, turns green, or feels slimy when three things combine: debris rotting at the bottom, sunlight feeding algae, and water sitting still for weeks. Fix all three — drain and scrub the barrel, shade it from direct sun, and use the water regularly — and the smell, the green colour, and […]

Rain barrel maintenance takes about 10 minutes a month, and it prevents most barrel problems: smells, mosquitoes, leaks, and clogged spigots. Check the screen, test the spigot, and smell the water once a month. Clean the barrel and the diverter each season. Drain, scrub, and check the seals once a year. That is the whole […]

Winterize a rain barrel by draining it completely, disconnecting the diverter, restoring the downspout, and storing the barrel upside down before the first hard freeze. The whole job takes about 30 minutes, and it saves you from a cracked barrel in spring. A barrel left full through winter is one of the most common and […]

The most reliable way to keep mosquitoes out of a rain barrel is a fine mesh screen over every opening plus a tight-fitting lid that stays closed. Together they block adult mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water, and they work without chemicals, without cost, and without maintenance beyond a quick check after each storm. […]

Rain barrel overflow should go at least 4 to 6 feet from your foundation, downhill, onto a lawn, an ornamental bed, a rain garden, or into a drain. That is the short answer, and it is the most important thing about a rain barrel system after the barrel itself. A barrel without a proper overflow […]