[Ranger F]

Im sure someone has had experience in this. I have a cabin in SW Pa, id like to put a 40-55 gal drum in the rafters to keep water in. one fill and it should last the year.(it will be a pain to fill but once a year I can deal with). my question is....I had one drum break sitting outside, had the top cut off. split the seam. if I lay it on its side in the rafters with a spigot and a hose runnin to the sink will this freeze and break? thought about wrappin it in insulation but if it sits in a unheated cabin at below freezin temps eventually the water has to freeze? wont it?...... any input would be apperiaciated! thanx.

[garret]

as long as the barrel is not full then it shouldnt break as the ice can expand (but you would need a small vent valve in the top too) it can be done though, i would be more worried about the water in the piped freezing and splitting.

maybe it would be a good idea just to drain the barrel and pipes system over winter and let it sit empty till spring (unless you use the cabin over winter then you have another problem to deal with)

[Ranger F]

i use it over winter in huntin season, there would be a shutoff at the barrel.

[Copper13]

Is the cabin insulated at all? Even in the dead of winter, does the interior temp drop below freezing for extended periods of time? I mean, we don't know where you're located: south Georgia and north Michigan are very different.

Oh, and are you considering using a metal drum or a plastic one?

[snowshoe67]

Here in Maine Keeping H2O is hard to store in a non insulated building. I wouldn't keep it full like Garret saidand maybe set up a solar system and a warming cord or something? I would worry about Firebut a not fill to the top,and WELL Insulatedit may work. The in Maine temps can be -40 below easy!!! BRRRRRRRRRRR

[Ranger F]

its in SW Pa. the walls are insulated but I gotta figure if it stays below freezin for a week everything in the cabin freezes. Ive had 5 gal h2o jugs freeze but only one split at the seams. theres a heck of a hill and when theres snow we cant get the truck all the way up. sux carring all thoes jugs up hill. got no power or heat tape or a lightbulb would do the trick. just dont want a mess of water in the cabin.

[Ranger F]

metal or plastic? which ever one will work

[crashdive123]

A couple of things you may want to consider. Most barrels are designed to stay upright, not on their side. Make sure that if you store it on its side it is either designed for it, or reinforced. The second consideration is the weight that you want to store in your rafters. 55 gallons of water weighs almost 460 pounds. Be sure your rafters can support that.

[BRIAR]

You may want to consider digging a hole and have it below the frost line and use a hand pump. The line could easily be drained when you left to prevent it from freezing also.

[Foxfire]

Your best bet is to just haul the water in during the winter. If you have a atv just transport it that way. Or make a few trips up and down the road.