How To Set Up A Rainwater Harvesting System

Many people overlook rain as a simple and cheap water source.

This article has been updated.

Homeowners tin conserve water both indoors and outdoors by adopting simple conservation strategies, but many people overlook the opportunity of collecting and storing rainwater for use in the yard, garden and outdoor cleaning projects.

Simple catchment systems with storage capacities of 40 – 100 gallons, tin can be easily installed by the homeowner to collect rainwater for use in the m and garden. This water is untreated and therefore not intended for drinking or bathing. More than circuitous systems tin also be installed which involve large cisterns, with up to five,000 gallon capacity, a h2o pump and a treatment system if the water is intended for drinking or bathing.

Earlier purchasing a rain barrel, check to ensure that installing a pelting catchment system is permissible in your municipality.

Homeowners looking to install a simple rainwater catchment system using rain barrels can benefit fro these tips:

ane. Take roofing material into consideration

If you lot're using the collected h2o for outdoor landscaping purposes, most roofing material volition suffice. Be aware that cobblestone shingles leach toxins, and then runoff should not exist used for watering the vegetable garden or for beverage purposes. Roofs made of slate, terra-cotta tile, copper, untreated wood shingles, concrete and epoxy-painted metal are acceptable for collecting potable water.

2. Choose a butt designed for belongings water

Using an former garbage tin for collecting rainwater may yield disappointing results. Rain barrels are designed with a wall thickness that can withstand freezing, expansion of freezing water, and baloney from the weight of the water and/or the result of prolonged directly sunlight. Barrels used for water collection and storage should:

Be opaque to inhibit algae growth
Not leach toxic materials
Exist securely covered to forestall pocket-sized children, pets and wildlife from drowning
Be screened to keep out debris
Exist accessible for cleaning

3. Locate barrel with condom in mind

Never place a pelting barrel near stairs or structures that would let a child to crawl on top of the butt. In add-on, children should be discouraged from playing near pelting barrels.

4. Cake upwards rain barrels several inches

Rain barrels should be installed at or near ground level, on a level surface to prevent tipping when the butt is full. The barrel tin can be gear up directly on the ground, just raising the rain barrel a pocket-sized amount will allow more room to get a small-scale bucket nether the outlet spigot, which is located near the bottom of the barrel.

Use cinder blocks, cement or a solid 4" cake of rot-resistant wood such as cedar to enhance the drove barrel a few inches off the footing. This blocking should be absolutely level, and protrude at least 1" all effectually the base of operations of the barrel to ensure stability when the barrel is total.

Once the blocking is in identify, set the barrel in place and mark the height where the downspout will be cut to attach the elbow. Use a hacksaw to cut the downspout; it'south easier to make this cut if you leave the downspout wall straps in place. The outflow end of the elbow should be close to the filter screen. (Over time the barrel and its base will settle into the basis a scrap.)

Equally an added precaution confronting tipping, a pocket-size chain or line can be run effectually the barrel, nearly the top, and secured to an next wall. (Rain barrels are stable by design, only installation should allow for the possibility of small-scale children trying to pull themselves up the side of the barrel to see within–not to mention earthquakes in areas where these are prone to happen.)

5. Adhere spigots and hose connections finger-tight only

When assembling the rain barrel, take care to spiral in the spigots straight, to avoid cross-threading damage. Screw in just until plumbing equipment is finger-tight. Do not apply a wrench or pliers considering the excess force can cause thread damage, resulting in leaks.

6. Clean gutters periodically

Gutters should exist cleaned and inspected twice a year, with extra attending given earlier a rainy spell. To ensure the cleanest delivery of water, gutters should be sloped plenty to ensure continuous h2o period, with no depression spots which collect puddles. Droppings will as well collect in whatever low spots, then break downwards and add contaminants and particulate thing to the water and filter screen. Older gutters which use soldered seams are suspect because they may leach lead; gutters which have riveted seams are preferred.

One time your pelting butt is installed, remember to detect these basic precautions:

Exist sure to exit the overflow valve (nearest the top of the butt) fully open up at all times. A short hose can be attached to straight any overflow runoff to the existing downspout drainage piping, or nearby shrubs or copse.
Keep the inlet screen clean of leaves and droppings.
Never permit people or animals drink from the rain barrel.
Instruct children not to play on or with the water barrel.

To buy a pelting barrel, click hither.

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About the Author

Greg Seaman
Originally from Long Island, NY, Greg Seaman founded Eartheasy in 2000 out of concern for the environment and a want to help others live more sustainably. As Editor, Greg combines his upbringing in the cities of New York, Boston and San Francisco with the contrast of 40 years of living 'off-filigree' to give us a balanced perspective on sustainable living. Greg spends his free fourth dimension gardening, working on his dwelling and building a wooden sailboat with hand tools.