Rain barrel systems are a great way to save money on your water bill, and help save our Earth’s natural resources.
Rain
barrels catch rain water from your roof. These barrels can be used to
water your gardens, shrubs, trees, and even your lawn.
The systems
are a very cheap DIY project to build on your own. You can also
purchase pre-made systems. Some of the pre-made systems are very
decorative as well. If you live in an area where you have a home owners
association, you may have to clear a rain barrel system first.
A simple 50 gallon food grade barrel with a spout on the bottom is all you need for a rain barrel collection system.
Place
the rain barrel under a corner of your roof to catch the most rain
water. You can hook a gutter system to your rain barrel to catch even
more water.
A screen over the top of the barrel will keep out
leaves and other debris. Homes with small children should have some kind
of sturdy screen to keep small children from falling in. A screen can
also keep out small animals.
The rain barrels work on a gravity
system to water an area. A soaker hose can be attached near the bottom,
and gravity will do the rest of the work. You can purchase pumps that
will pump the water out of the barrel with enough pressure to run a
sprinkler.
Rainwater irrigation is an excellent choice for
watering vegetables. Rainwater is clean and fresh, and does not contain
chemicals that may be found in city water.
You can store rainwater
for long periods of time if it is stored in a dark colored barrel. The
dark barrels do not allow in sunlight, which produces algae.
By
utilizing rain barrels you will be doing your part for the environment
by reducing the use of our natural resources. In some areas of drought,
the perfect option for homeowners is to use rain barrel systems.
polypropylene garbage pails work brilliantly for compost, rain water and are just so much cheaper
Sure do not want to drink the water of carcinogens coming from the shingles and gutters.
Just curious, could you use that water to wash your clothes?
I would not use this water on my garden, unless it’s been shown that roofing shingles don’t add poisons or other chemicals to it. I’d use it on the lawn, I guess, and in an emergency I’d filter it and boil it (distill) first.
Water storage idea for your collected rain water:
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