Suggestions for how to empty and remove/dispose of 55 gallon drums.

[Bamaman1]

You can go to Harbor Freight and buy an inexpensive pump that will empty the barrels. I bought a submersal pump there last week for another situation.

I'd just take the empty barrels to the local dump or landfill and leave them. Tell them the barrels' recent usage and there's nothing hazardous that's been in them. Most drums have things like food products in them anyway.

It shouldn't be such a big deal.

[Therblig]

Originally Posted by Bamaman1

I'd just take the empty barrels to the local dump or landfill and leave them.

I don't know exactly where the OP is, but dump fees in the Denver area are extremely high. I used to take a minivan load to the Sacramento County dump for about $25 (and that was a rising rate everyone objected to), to my small-town New England town dump for free (as a resident)... and in trying to get rid of some dump stuff in the last three years, found that hauling rates here are sky high (starting at about $100) because their disposal fees are equally high ($75 or so for a residential load). Where, oddly enough, there is anything but a shortage of landfill land...

They'll end up in a dump or recycle center one way or the other, but as 10 barrels are at least two pickup loads, it's not as breezy as "dump them at a dump."

[himain]

I suggest CL or Nextdoor and put as free items

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

So here's the situation. My mother-in-law died unexpectedly a few months ago. We've gotten her estate to the point where we want to put her house on the market, but there's one more obstacle we need to take care of. She has 8-10 55 gallon metal drums that she was using for passive solar in an attached sunroom. We're 99% sure they're filled with water, and they've been in the house for the better part of 25-30 years.

I was thinking about renting a 2" trash pump to drain the barrels figuring that would cover the possibility of rust or any particulates in the barrels going through the pump.

Does this sound feasible or is there a better solution? I could buy a hand pump pretty cheap, but at 12oz per revolution my arm would fall off hand cranking all those barrels dry.

It will help to mentally re-categorize the costs to do this. This is a reasonable probate-related expense; part of preparing the house for sale, paying any utilities, dump fees, landscape maintenance, etc. Rent or even buy a powered semi trash pump (not as extreme or expensive as a trash pump) with a decent intake strainer. If you buy it you won't have to risk paying to replace a ruined rental. Keep the receipt and charge the pump cost to the estate. Assuming the property isn't underwater, there should be more than enough proceeds from the house sale to pay for a pump!

[TCHP]

Take a sample of the fluid to a local spa/pool shop. Most will test it for free and give you an idea of whats in the liquid. Once you know what it is, you can decide on how to dispose of fluid. I would suggest either using something that can reach to the bottom to get a sample of all layers, like a rigid pipe or piece of conduit, or stirring it up to homogenize the fluid to get a representative sample.

Siphon with a hose would get most of the fluid. Otherwise, I'd rent a pump.

Once empty, steel drums can be taken to any recycling center where they are worth a couple of bucks...maybe. Maybe $.50. Steel scrap is really low in value

[Hawk J]

Around here, out in the country, 55 gallon metal barrels are often used for burn barrels (burn trash) (get a metal screen at a home improvement store)/Home Depot/etc, to cover barrel when burning. (Beware of Fire Danger)
Folks usually remove the lid with a tool (similar to a large can opener) then sell the barrels on Craigslist/bulletin board, for $5- $10.

In your case, imho, remove water. Then sell barrels for a few bucks or give them away.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1hghMykySQ

Be Safe & Stay Healthy.

[Electrician4you]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

So here's the situation. My mother-in-law died unexpectedly a few months ago. We've gotten her estate to the point where we want to put her house on the market, but there's one more obstacle we need to take care of. She has 8-10 55 gallon metal drums that she was using for passive solar in an attached sunroom. We're 99% sure they're filled with water, and they've been in the house for the better part of 25-30 years.

I was thinking about renting a 2" trash pump to drain the barrels figuring that would cover the possibility of rust or any particulates in the barrels going through the pump.

Does this sound feasible or is there a better solution? I could buy a hand pump pretty cheap, but at 12oz per revolution my arm would fall off hand cranking all those barrels dry.

Go buy a submersible sump pump if they're open top barrels.
If they're the bung hole style get a electric liquid transfer pump.


If it’s just water find the kitchen plumbing clean out and run a hose from either pump that you end up using to use to direct the water drain to sewer.

[bluescreen73]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I live in Aurora, but the house is out on the Eastern Plains. My MIL wouldn't have put anything hazardous that close to the house. That's why I'm almost certain they have water in them. United Rental rents trash pumps for $80 a day. I can probably empty them all out in a few hours. We'll probably give them away on a Facebook buy and sell group. Someone will take them.

[Vision67]

Is the house on a hill?

If so, get gravity to empty your water. I'm pretty sure it's just water because sun rooms use barrels of water to increase the thermal mass of the room.

Look here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siphon

[bluescreen73]

So I just wanted to update this thread. The barrels are gone. We ended up having a cleanup company come pump them dry. We hired someone because they were unfortunately reclaimed barrels that had small amounts of oil and diesel residue in them.