Captured rainwater can be put to use in your garden and for cleaning and outdoor projects, helping to cut down on your water usage. The most hygienic way to capture rainwater is to create a rain barrel with a screen and cover. You can attach a spigot to the bottom of your rain barrel for easy harvesting. The most efficient place to put a rain barrel is underneath a gutter spout, but you can also place them beside sheds and other buildings on your property. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Locate a 55-gallon hard plastic bucket with a lid. You should be able to find one by calling food wholesalers, drum companies, utility companies or gas stations. Clean your barrel thoroughly.
2. Drill a hole three inches from the top of the barrel using the drill. This will be your overflow hole. Drill a second hole two to three inches up from the bottom of the bucket. You will connect your plastic spigot to this hole.
3. Cut a hole in the plastic lid using a small saw or sharp clippers. The hole should be at least four inches across. Cut a piece of plastic mesh screen two inches larger than the hole in the lid and tape the mesh screen to the underside of the lid using the electrical tape. The screen will keep leaves, bugs and other impurities from falling into your rain barrel.
4. Screw the plastic spigot into the hole on the bottom of the rain barrel. It will take a while for the threads to catch. Continue to screw the spigot in.
5. Add a thin layer of silicone sealant to the spigot when it's almost fully installed. Turn the spigot for the last few rounds so that the sealant can catch. Allow the sealant to dry.
6. Attach the lid to the rain barrel. Move the rain barrel below your gutter spout or to another desired location.
Tags: rain barrel, gutter spout, hole three, hole three inches, inches from, mesh screen