You can help conserve water resources and cut down on expensive water bills by fabricating a rain storage barrel. The most challenging part of making a rain barrel is finding the 55-gallon hard plastic drum. Once you've gathered all the supplies, the rain barrel can be put together in an afternoon. Rain barrel water is not safe to drink but can be used to wash your car, water your garden or clean your home. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Clean your rain barrel with soap and water. Disinfect it with a vinegar and water solution. Always clean your barrel well before starting since you don't know what it held beforehand.
2. Drill one hole 3 inches down from the top of your rain barrel, using a drill fit with a 29/32-inch drill bit. This will be your overflow hole, which allows water to flow out of the rain barrel when it's full.
3. Drill a second hole 4 inches up from the bottom of the rain barrel to serve as your spigot.
4. Screw the hose adapter into the spigot hole on the bottom of the rain barrel. It will take a while for the threads to catch, but keep twisting once you've begun. When the threads are almost all the way through to the inner barrel, stop to apply silicone sealant.
5. Squirt an even layer of silicone sealant around the threads on your hose adapter, then twist it the rest of the way in. Hold the piece in place until the sealant dries, typically in a couple of minutes. Screw the faucet on the outer end of the hose adapter once the sealant is fully dry.
6. Cut a hole in the lid of your barrel using a saw. The hole should be at least 3 inches in diameter. Measure your hole with measuring tape once you've finished.
7. Cut a piece of mesh screen that will cover the hole with 2 inches overage on either side. Attach the screen to the inside of the lid using electrical tape. This will prevent debris such as insects or leaves from falling into your rain barrel and contaminating your storage water.
8. Saw off your gutterspout so that the barrel can fit under it, leaving 4 extra inches of room between the gutterspout and rain barrel.
9. Screw the lid onto the barrel. Position the rain storage barrel under the gutterspout at a corner of your house. Your rain barrel is now ready to collect water.
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