Rain barrels are an easy and eco-friendly way to save water for use in your garden.
Rain barrels are a simple and eco-friendly way to collect and save water for use in your home gardens. Making a rain barrel is easy, so why pay $80 or more when you can customize your own barrel for a fraction of the cost? Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Modifying Your Barrel
1. Obtain a barrel. You can spend about $50 on a new one; but industries, warehouses, recyclers and even your neighbors may be throwing away a barrel, so ask around before settling on a new one.
Make sure that your barrel is large (55 gallons or more), made of wood, metal or, preferably, plastic, and that it has never held any type of toxin or chemical. And, of course, check that your barrel is well-sealed, as it will be holding water.
2. Find a location for your barrel just under your house's downspout. If the downspout is too long, you will have to trim it to the appropriate length with metal shears.
3. Cut a hole in the top center of your barrel using the keyhole saw. The water from the downspout will fall through this into the barrel, so make it about 6 inches in diameter. If you're working with a 55-gallon plastic drum, cut the hole between the two small spouts that are on the drum top.
To make things easier and more accurate, be sure to outline the hole before cutting.
4. Drill a 1-inch hole near the base of your barrel. Outline the hole before drilling it to make the process easier.
Attaching the Hose and Screen
5. Acquire a garden hose with valve, adapter and washer. Pick up these items at a local hardware or garden store.
6. Attach hose valve, adapter and washer to the barrel at the 1-inch hole near the base. Place the adapter and washer on the inside of the barrel and position the valve on the outside; screw them together. A helper could simplify this procedure.
7. Attach the garden hose to the hose valve. Be sure that your hose is long enough to reach the areas and gardens you will want to water.
8. Place a screen or filter on the top of your barrel. You can purchase a screen or filter or use something as simple as an old window screen. Just be sure that the screen is large enough to cover the hole at the top of your barrel.
The screen will keep leaves, insects and other creatures out of your collected water. Take care to clean off the screen regularly.
9. Place your barrel under the downspout and wait for rain!
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