Save money on your water bill by watering gardens with roof run-off.
Vegetable gardens require 1 or more inches of water weekly, depending on location and weather conditions. Applying the appropriate amounts of water will quickly increase your water bill. Homeowners can lower summer water bills by harvesting rainwater off the roofs of their homes, garages, sheds and barns to water their gardens. Not only will homeowners save money, but they can rest assured their garden does not suffer shock from chlorinated tap water. You can make your own rain barrels inexpensively with old, plastic barrels or drums. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Drill a 7/8-inch hole in the side of a plastic rain barrel, 3 to 4 inches up from the barrel's bottom. Raise the hole to this height to allow heavy debris to settle, preventing the debris from blocking the spigot and the hose you will attach.
2. Attach a 3/4-inch rubber washer and a 1-inch galvanized washer over the threaded pipe in back of a 3/4-inch water spigot fixture. Insert the remaining threading of the spigot into the 7/8-inch hole from the outside of the barrel.
3. Remove the rain barrel's lid and have an assistant hold the spigot into place while you lean over into the empty barrel and attach a 3/4-inch galvanized, 90-degree elbow pipe. Screw the elbow piece onto the remaining spigot threading. Tighten the pieces together by hand or with a pipe wrench to prevent leaking. Turn the elbow piece to face the bottom of the barrel, to help control the flow of water.
4. Attach a garden hose to the spigot's faucet to water your garden with rainwater from the rain barrel. Hoses will thread into an internal or external threading on the water spigot. Replace the rain barrel's lid once you finish attaching all inlet and outlet valves.
5. Set the barrels into place under the downspouts of your home's gutter system. Shorten downspouts to hang 4 to 6 inches over the top of your rain barrel. Use a downspout attachment to connect the gutter with a small hole in the lid of your rain barrel. Rainwater will run off your roof, into the gutters, down the waterspouts, through the connection pipes and into your collection barrels.
Tags: rain barrel, your rain, your water bill, 8-inch hole, elbow piece, into place, spigot into