An easy way to conserve water at your house is to build and use a rain barrel. A rain barrel collects water and holds it there for later use. This naturally soft water can be used to water your flower and vegetable gardens, wash your car, and more. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Build a Rain Barrel
1. Use your power drill to make an inch hole in the rain barrel a couple inches above the bottom. Drill an inch hole a couple inches down from the top of the barrel. Remove the lid and rinse the plastic shavings out of the rain barrel.
2. Wrap Teflon tape around the threaded end of the plastic spigot to form a watertight seal. Screw the spigot securely into the bottom hole you drilled in the rain barrel.
3. Wrap Teflon tape around the threaded end of the overflow valve. Screw the valve securely into the top hole you drilled in the rain barrel.
4. Draw a circle on the lid of the rain barrel a few inches in from the edge. The hole needs to be large enough for the downspout to fit completely over it. Drill a pilot hole first. Then, use a jigsaw to cut the hole out. Cut a piece of the window screen to fit over the hole. Secure it into place with the waterproof adhesive. Replace the lid on the rain barrel.
5. Choose an area to set the rain barrel beside your house. It will have to be where a downspout runs down. (You'll need to disconnect part of the pipe so the barrel can fit underneath.) Make sure the ground is level. Then, place a couple cement blocks side-by-side for the rain barrel to sit on.
6. Set the rain barrel on the cement blocks. Turn it so the downspout is centered over the hole in the lid.
Use the Rain Barrel
7. Screw a long piece of garden hose onto the spigot so you can easily retrieve the rain water.
8. Make sure the overflow valve is always turned on. The bottom spigot should be turned off when not in use.
9. Periodically check the filter to make sure it stays free of leaves, limbs and other obstructions. Clean the filter by removing the lid. Turn it upside down and run water through the screen.
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