My rain barrel split a seam last night after that big storm

Lost about 40 gallons of water I'd been collecting for my garden, so now I'm patching it with a plastic welding kit I found at the hardware store - has anyone tried fixing one of these things before?

3 comments

3 Comments

mila_jones391mo ago

Heard a lot of folks swear by flex seal tape for rain barrel repairs, might be worth a try if the welding kit doesn't hold.

kellymurphy1mo ago

Flex seal tape does work for some stuff, but for a rain barrel that's under constant water pressure from the weight of all that water, it's probably gonna peel off after a few weeks. The key with tape is you have to apply it bone dry and clean, which is almost impossible once there's already water in the barrel. Had a buddy try it on his downspout connection and it leaked again by the next rain. Might get you through a season if the crack is real small and you've got it totally dried out first, but welding is definitely the smarter long term fix.

mark_fisher483d ago

Honestly, I used to be one of those guys who thought flex seal tape was some miracle fix for everything. Ngl, I've got a roll in my garage that I've used on leaky garden hoses and random stuff around the shop. But this really changed my mind about using it on something like a rain barrel. Tbh, the point about needing it bone dry and clean makes so much sense for a barrel that's already full of water. Never thought about that constant pressure either, it's a totally different situation than patching a hose. Kinda glad I read this before wasting a weekend trying it myself.