How to Winterize a Rain Barrel

Empty it, disconnect it from the downspout, and fit a temporary downspout extension so meltwater goes away from the house. Do it before your locality's normal first hard freeze and leave it until the median last hard freeze in spring. Water expands about 9 percent when it freezes, which is enough force to split a full barrel.

Sources last checked 2026-08-31 · next review due 2027-08-31 · reviewed by HomesteadingGear Editorial

The five steps

1. Empty it completely. Open the spigot and let it run out somewhere useful. A barrel that is a quarter full still has enough water to do damage as it expands.
2. Disconnect from the downspout. The connection point and any diverter are as vulnerable as the barrel, and a frozen diverter can back water up into the downspout.
3. Fit a temporary downspout extension. This is the step people skip. With the barrel gone, the downspout discharges at whatever is directly beneath it — usually the foundation, sometimes a path that then ices over.
4. Clean while it is empty. Sediment, leaves and sticks come out easily now and not at all in spring. Replace worn drain valves, torn screens and leaky inlet hoses at the same time.
5. Store it so it cannot refill. Upside down outdoors is fine. If it has a screened top opening, inverting it is what stops it filling with rain and freezing anyway. A garage or shed works equally well.

When, exactly

Penn State Extension gives the timing as a pair of local dates rather than a calendar month, which is the right way round: disconnect before the normal first hard freeze date for your locality, and wait until the median last hard freeze date in spring before hooking it back up.

Both dates are published for US locations by the National Weather Service and by most state Extension services. Looking yours up once is more useful than any month we could name here, because the difference between a barrel in Georgia and one in Minnesota is several months at each end.

What changes the answer

A mild climate. Where hard freezes are rare, a barrel can often run year round. The failure mode is a single unexpected cold night on a full barrel, so the question is not average winter temperature but the worst night you get.
Barrel material. Penn State names both wooden and plastic barrels as crackable. Rigid plastic has little give; a partially filled flexible container has more room to accommodate ice.
What you use the water for. EPA notes that roof runoff can carry bacteria from birds and other animals and chemicals from roof materials — worth considering before using rain barrel water on edible plants, in any season.

The equipment decision this leads to

Rain barrels, ranked — if this winter is the one where you found the crack

Where these numbers come from

Penn State Extension — Rain Barrel Winter Maintenance - Don't Forget to Disconnect!
Primary source · read 2026-08-31
- Water expands by approximately 9 percent when it freezes and ice can crack wooden or plastic rain barrels
- Empty and detach the barrel before the normal first hard freeze date for your locality
- Wait until the median last hard freeze date in spring before reconnecting
- Attach a temporary downspout extension to direct snowmelt away from the house once the barrel is removed
- Winter is a good time to remove accumulated sediment and replace worn valves, torn screens and leaky inlet hoses
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Soak Up the Rain: Rain Barrels
Primary source · read 2026-08-31
- Rain barrels capture water from a roof and hold it for later use on lawns, gardens or indoor plants
- Roof runoff can carry bacteria from birds and other animals and chemicals from roof materials, which are factors to consider before using rain barrel water on edible plantings

Common questions

How do you winterize a rain barrel?

Empty it, disconnect it from the downspout and fit a temporary downspout extension so meltwater is directed away from the house. Penn State Extension advises doing this before the normal first hard freeze date for your locality and leaving it until the median last hard freeze date in spring before reconnecting.

Will a rain barrel crack if you leave it out full?

It can. Water expands by approximately 9 percent when it freezes, and Penn State Extension notes that ice forms with enough force to crack wooden or plastic barrels, particularly when the container is full or near full.

Can I leave the rain barrel outside over winter?

Yes, provided it is empty and disconnected. Store it upside down, or turn it over if it has a screened top opening so it cannot refill with rain and freeze. Storing it in a garage or shed also works.

What do I do with the downspout once the barrel is off?

Fit a temporary extension. Without one, snowmelt and early rain discharge straight at your foundation and walkways, which is worse than the situation the barrel was solving.

Is winter a good time to clean a rain barrel?

It is the obvious time. Penn State Extension suggests using the off season to remove accumulated sediment, leaves and sticks and to replace leaky or worn drain valves, torn screens and leaky inlet hoses, so the barrel is ready rather than a spring project.