Plastic barrels are the most cost-effective for storing rainwater.
Rain barrels conserve water, reduce runoff pollution and help irrigate your yard. You can even use the barrel as a great source of soft water for washing. Catch and save rainwater from your roof in rain barrels so that the water remains clean and available for gardening and washing purposes around your home. Construction of a rain barrel system is simple if you already have a gutter and downspout system on your house. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Decide on the location of your rain barrel, adjacent to an existing downspout from your roof. Preferably, the location will be directly on the ground or a paved area, not on a porch or deck. A full rain barrel can weigh up to 500 pounds, so mounting on the ground is best.
2. Select a rain barrel that suits your needs. You may even use two or more barrels in the same location, with one barrel overflowing into the other. There are many barrels available online. Most are actually recycled from used plastic food-grade barrels. Be sure the components that are added by the rain barrel manufacturer are sturdy and intended to last many years. Spigots for draining the barrel should be composed of brass and attached with compression fittings -- not simply be adhered or threaded into the barrel.
The barrel should be equipped with an overflow device. The overflow diameter should be in the range of 1-1/2 inches or more. It is important to be able to direct the overflow away from your house.
3. Construct a base that is level and sturdy. If the area for the barrels is paved and level, you are already set. If the area is soil or landscape, you need to prepare a base. There are several ways to do this, but the easiest is to remove several inches of soil in an area larger than the diameter of the barrel. Replace the soil with crushed stone or clean gravel 1/2- to 3/4-inch in size. You can place commercial weed-block fabric under the stone to prevent weeds from coming through. Get the stone as even and level as possible before continuing.
4. Elevate your rain barrel by placing cinder blocks on top of the stone or pavement. If you are using two layers of cinder block, place the second layer in a crisscross pattern on top of the first layer.
Top the cinder blocks with an 18- or 24-inch square or round patio paver. Make sure this paver is level by adjusting the stone underneath as required. Check both north-south and east-west directions with a 24-inch level, and recheck after you have made any adjustments.
5. Place the rain barrel on top of the pedestal. Determine where you will cut the downspout to attach the rain diverter. The downspout can be cut using a hacksaw with a fine-tooth blade. Follow the manufacturer's instruction on attach the diverter to the downspout. The diverter usually directs the water to a hole cut in the top of the rain barrel.
6. Place a screen in the gutter over the downspout.
Be sure to address debris that may accumulate in the downspout water. If you do not have gutters that prevent leaves and debris from entering, place a screen made for this purpose in the gutter above your downspout. This will reduce the amount of debris entering your barrel or clogging the screen over your barrel.
7. If you have mosquitoes in your area, place a screen over the top of the barrel. Use ordinary fiberglass window screen reinforced with 1/4-inch hardware cloth. Another alternative is to use anti-larvae tablets in the barrel to prevent the mosquitoes from growing. Many rain barrel kits come with one of these alternatives.
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