Before the First Freeze: What to Do With Your Outdoor Fountain So the Bowl Doesn’t Crack

© Tashka

Last fall, the fountain looked fine when you switched it off. You left a little water in the bowl, maybe threw a tarp over it, and forgot about it until spring. Then you pulled the tarp back and found a hairline crack running across the basin, and a chip missing from the top tier.

This is not your fault. A fountain looks solid enough to handle a winter outdoors, but water is its weak point. Campania International, a maker of cast stone garden fountains, warns that once a fountain top fills with water or snow and freezes, it may crack, and suggests that fountain and birdbath tops not be left outside in winter. The Soothing Company, a fountain retailer, says winterizing is essential anywhere temperatures drop to or below 32°F.

Why the bowl cracks

Water expands as it freezes. Any water left sitting in a basin, a tier or a hidden reservoir becomes ice that pushes against the material from the inside. Fountainful, another fountain retailer, says to keep the fountain free of water, ice and condensation for exactly that reason.

The wrong cover can make it worse. The Soothing Company advises skipping plastic tarps, because they trap condensation, and Fountainful recommends a breathable material instead.

What to do before the first freeze

Unplug and drain completely. The Soothing Company says to empty the basin and check tubing and small reservoirs for trapped water. Fountainful suggests a wet-vac to pull water out of the shells.
Take out the pump. Rinse it, let it dry fully and store it indoors, the Soothing Company advises. Campania also recommends removing rubber stoppers, drain pipes and finials.
Bag the small parts. Fountainful suggests keeping drain plugs, tubing and lights together in a bag stored indoors.
Bring it in if you can. Campania says a fountain should ideally be stored indoors in winter. If the whole piece is too heavy, at least bring in the top tiers.
If it stays outside, cover it right. Use a breathable, snug-fitting cover, keep water from collecting in the basin, and elevate the fountain off the ground, as Fountainful recommends. Campania advises checking periodically that the cover is still secure.

Material matters too. The Soothing Company says cast stone and concrete are the most prone to cracking and must stay completely dry and covered, ceramic is extremely fragile and best kept indoors, resin and fiberglass can fade or warp if left exposed, and metal or bronze tolerate winter better but still need to be drained and covered.

Limits

Always check your fountain’s care instructions first, since manufacturers’ recommendations differ by model and material. Large or plumbed-in fountains, and ponds with fish or plants, need their own winter plan, often from the installer or a water feature professional.

Keep in mind that freeze damage may not be covered: Fountainful states that it and the design studios it carries aren’t responsible for freeze damage. Come spring, reassemble the fountain only once the risk of frost has passed, and it’ll be ready to anchor the yard again, like the designs in these outdoor fountain ideas.

Drain it dry, pull the pump and use a cover that breathes. That’s the trick.

The post Before the First Freeze: What to Do With Your Outdoor Fountain So the Bowl Doesn’t Crack appeared first on Trendir.