Most “leaky barrel” complaints trace back to setup — not the tank. A collapsible rain barrel flexes when it fills, so the outlet and base see real loads that rigid drums hide until the first hot week.
1. Pick a flat-ish pad, then level it
Use the included ground stakes or a paver pad. Aim for less than 2° slope. On grass, stomp the footprint flat before you unfold the PVC shell.
2. Seat the brass spigot with two hands
Hand-tighten until the O-rings compress, then a quarter turn with a wrench — not crank-it-until-it-screams. Over-torquing plastic threads is how cheap barrels fail; brass is more forgiving but still needs restraint.
3. Fill to 20 gallons and hose-test
Attach a garden hose, open the valve, and watch the fitting for five minutes. A slow weep means re-seat the spigot — not “live with it.”
Loavara barrels ship with dual brass O-rings tested to 150 PSI. If it weeps after a proper seat on level ground, that is what our 2-year leak-proof warranty is for.