Rainwater Harvesting

 

You Need a Rain Barrel or Cistern Because:

  • Rainwater is Free
    After buying and installing your rain barrel, the price for the water you capture goes down to zero.

  • Other Water is NOT
    Water from other sources will only get scarcer and more expensive

  • Rainwater is great for plants
    Your garden plants will love the naturally "soft" water you collect.

  • It's the Right Thing to Do
    Learning to conserve our natural resources is important and harvesting rainwater is an easy step in that direction...even a short rainfall will give you plenty of H2O to use in your garden.

Rain Barrel Installations

If you would like, we can install your rain barrel(s) at your home. If you need guttering, we can install that as well. Fee for installation will depend on size of job. Installation includes creating a pedastal (probably of cement blocks) for the rain barrel to sit on for access to spigot and optimal water pressure.

Rain Barrel Systems and Cisterns

Even more water can be collected if you connect several rain barrels together with PVC pipe. Each barrel holds about 50 gallons of water, so obviously, three can hold 150 gallons. A cistern, depending on its size, will hold hundreds of gallons. Install an in-line pump, and you can send that water anywhere in your yard. Ask us about how we can set this up for you. We'll come and take a look at what you might need to make this happen.

Rain Barrels - Use and Maintenance

You are considering a new rain barrel because you are convinced of the benefits of harvesting rainwater for your yard. Get the most from it by using and maintaining it properly.

Suggestions for Use:

  • Elevating the barrel will help increase water pressure and allow easy access for a watering can. Use to water your potted plants.
  • Site the barrel, if possible, near plants. Then, attach a soaker hose to the faucet. Plants next to a house with gutters are often to dry as rain is blocked by the house. They will appreciate water from your rain barrel. Be sure to remove pressure-reducing washer from the soaker hose.
  • If you have compost bins, use this water to keep the compost moist. Also use to rinse off gardening tools.
  • One brief rainfall will typically more than fill your rain barrel. Position barrel so that overflow is away from the house. Or add more PVC pipe to overflow to direct flow down to the ground and away.
  • Consider hooking up multiple barrels to collect more water. Remember, harvested water is not subject to water restrictions.

Maintaining your Barrel:

  • Your gutters will carry leaves and other debris down to your barrel. Clean off lid of barrel after each rainfall to keep holes clear.
  • Periodically remove lid and clear algae from inside.
  • Painted and otherwise decorated barrels need a once a year application of an exterior waterproofing sealer.

Need a Rain Barrel?

We are open daily from 9 am to 3 pm. If you are wanting to pick up a rain barrel, please call ahead to be sure we have one ready to sell. Our rain barrels are made from repurposed food-grade polyethylene barrels. We sand and prime them and equip with spigot, overflow pipe and screening ( to block gutter debris and mosquitoes). We will also custom paint them for you...to match your house or with a decorative look. The barrels are $75 each. We will also install the barrel, if you would like. (Sorry...we do not ship barrels)

Did You Know?

People who do this sort of thing have calculated that a homeowner can collect about a half gallon of water per square foot of roof area during a 1 inch rainfall. They give as an example, a house with a 2,000 sq. foot roof can potentially collect about 1,000 gallons of water. Now...that's a lot of water! Imagine what you could do with all that free water. So when you start thinking about collecting rainwater, it might be a good idea to plan from the beginning, how you might want to expand your capability to collect more. I mean, why let all that good water go to waste? Some of the options you would have include linking multiple barrels together along one wall of your house or garage, or putting separate barrels at different downspouts. Or you might want to think about upgrading to an aboveground cistern that holds a couple hundred gallons of water. And you are not limited in your choices these days to an ugly, hard to hide tank. There are many manufactured rain barrels and cisterns that are designed to fit unobtrusively into a landscape. Here is just one example:  http://rainwaterhog.com/products/

And here is another:  http://containrainwater.com/featured/above-ground-systems/


And if you ever need help with installation of a manufactured product, you can give us a call.