Thanks to everyone that had comments for the prior inquiry about 55 gallon drums.

Where does one want to store the drums when they are filled? In the garage (on the concrete or on plastic sheeting-tarp)? In the yard? On the porch?

Where is the best place to store filled water drums? What is the filled weight of the drums?

Thanks, zeaal

-- zeaal (zeaal@mindspring.com), December 21, 1999

Answers

Heard that the drums weigh in excess of 400 lbs... any others know?

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan101st@Aol.com), December 21, 1999.

"A pint's a pound." Close enough for estimating, anyhow. 55 gallons is well over 400 lbs. I sure wouldn't suggest the porch - on slab or dirt is better. If you have to put it on joists, put it at the ends, and if it's on a second story or higher, put it above a bearing wall, near as you can.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), December 21, 1999.

water is a bit over eight plound per gallon.

-- tom (flstplt@yahoo.com), December 21, 1999.

OOPS.... POUNDS

-- tom (flstplt@yahoo.com), December 21, 1999.

You'll probably get a better range of answers if you post these type of questions in the preparedness forum but I'll cover what you've got here.

Ideally, you want to store the drums where they are out of direct sunglight so they won't be at risk of algae growth. They should be kept out of direct contact with the ground and preferably not in direct contact with the floor. They should also be stored away from strong odors that might perfuse through the plastic into the water and in a place where they won't freeze nor get very hot. Of course, that's premium storage space so you'll have to do the best you can. Not in the sun and not in direct contact with the ground are the two most important requirements.

Keep the bungs/caps of the drums clean so you won't contaminate the water when you open them.

A filled drum will weigh in the neighborhood of 450 pounds so you'll also want to make sure whatever you're going to set them on can handle the weight.

.........Alan.

The Providence Cooperative

http://www.providenceco-op.com

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@netscape.net), December 21, 1999.

Those of us in the cold north must also make sure we don't put such barrels where they could freeze. Such freezing could potentially burst the container. Even if it doesn't burst, you'll find it quite difficult to pour a 450 pound cylinder of ice through a 3-inch bung hole.

Here in the great white north, basements are about ideal for such storage (concrete floor, heated - at least above freezing, and easily accessible).

For an attic or crawl space, water bags or smaller containers are probably better since you can distribute the weight over a larger surface area than with the 55-gallon drums.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), December 21, 1999.

Go to the sister forum and you will find SCADS of info on this subject, both recent and in the archives under WATER. Main thrust is that you use plywood underneath if you are putting it on a floor above ground level, to disperse the weight; that you set it on a pallet if it is to go on concrete; that you keep it as cool as possible; that you leave 1/5 room at top (but a couple of inches will do it); that if you wish to have a barrel to help heat your house and bathe with, put it in the sunlight after painting the barrel black, to draw the sun's heat.

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), December 21, 1999.

I think you would want to put it in such a way as to 1) Be able to draw water out of it w/o dipping into the barrel (use a siphone pump or just a pc of pliable 'formula' tubing with a clamp for shut off) 2) Should be bit up off the ground so that when you siphon it out you can get most of the water out 3) Keep it sealed on top so no dust can get into it 4) Keep your 'fill' tube from pressurized system in the barrel so that you do not dirt the interior by laying the fill tub on a dusty surface and then reinsert it.. 5) Have a way to drain this thing out by gravity in case you must clean it, move it or a problem arrises which requires you to dran it (leak).

Good Luck. Its not as hard as I make it sound. Just think ahead.

-- ..- (dit@dot.dash), December 21, 1999.