Ideas for Rain Barrels
Collecting rain as an additional source of water is a centuries-old practice. While catching rain in a rain barrel in the wet months of the year was once a necessity, it is now a green alternative to watering plants, washing the car and saving on the city water bill. The average runoff from a 1,000-square-foot sloped roof that gets one inch of rain is approximately 500 to 600 gallons of water, enough to fill several rain barrels. All it takes is a roof, a gutter and downspout, rain and the rain barrel to get started. Does this Spark an idea?
Wooden Barrels
Old-fashioned wooden whiskey barrels make charming rain barrels. Re-purpose an old one for collecting rain. There are few manufacturers of whiskey barrels. You can buy one, but they are expensive, starting at around $250 for a 50-gallon barrel. With the right plans, you can make your own; however, compare the cost of materials and sealants against buying one already made. Wooden barrels will leak faster than plastic ones.
Plastic Barrels
Sturdy, heavy-duty plastic-rain barrels are less expensive than wood barrels and readily available at local home improvement or rural feed stores. Common sizes are 55- to 85-gallon drums, with or without spigots attached. Also, check with your local municipality to find out if they are giving away or offering rebates on the purchase of a rain-barrel system. Recycled plastic barrels are an option, provided they haven't been used for chemical or petroleum products. A beverage manufacturer or bottling company may have excess barrels they want to get rid of.
Getting Water In
A sealed-top rain barrel system is best and prevents mosquitoes from breeding. Otherwise, use a screen on top of the barrel to keep insects and debris out of the water. To get the rain to flow into the barrel, adjust the length of your down spout to flow into the barrel. If the barrel can't sit flush against the spout, cut into it to redirect the water flow. A flexible plastic hose can add length and adaptability to the spout.
Getting Water Out
The rain barrel has to be elevated and a spigot for releasing the water needs to be at the bottom. Placing cement blocks under barrel will give it height and support its weight. Gravity will then work its magic and the water will flow from the spigot or into an attached hose. You can also chain several rain barrels together this way if where you need to use the water is far away from the rain source.
Make it Pretty
Though practical and conservation-minded, sometimes a rain barrel may not be as attractive as the rest of the house. Some useful disguises such as hiding it behind tall plants or placing it in the garage can help with appearances. Build a wooden fence around it or make a lattice-work box to go over it. Wooden or plastic barrels can be painted the same color as your house to blend in, or paint it with whimsical designs or stencils to stand out.
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