#DIVERTING RAIN WATER FROM DOWN SPOUTS INSTALL#
#DIVERTING RAIN WATER FROM DOWN SPOUTS FULL#

You’ll want to raise the barrel off the ground to increase gravity flow, but keep in mind that when it’s full your barrel will weigh over 400 pounds so make sure your base is sturdy and solid.

#DIVERTING RAIN WATER FROM DOWN SPOUTS INSTALL#

Whatever route you decide to go, pick a flat, level space to install your rain barrel. You can even find kits to DIY your own rain barrel out of a clean, empty barrel. Rain barrels come in a variety of sizes and can be found at most hardware or gardening stores. This runoff can cause devastating flooding, erosion, and pollution, so diverting some of this stormwater into a rain barrel goes a long way towards minimizing damage and maintaining your community’s water quality. Rain Barrels Reduce Stormwater Runoff: That 600 gallons of water draining from your roof during summer showers that we mentioned earlier? The ground can’t absorb all that water at once, so it flows through your yard, driveway, streets, and parking lots picking up dirt, leaves, debris, litter and anything else that gets in its path until it hits the nearest stream, lake, river or other body of water. (But use it safely: rainwater isn’t potable so don’t use it for things like drinking, bathing, or washing your car.)ģ. Rainwater-which is free of chemicals and has fewer contaminants-is a better choice for your pots and landscaping. Rain Barrel Water is Better for Your Plants: Tap water can be loaded with salts, chlorine, iron, minerals, and other chemicals that can build up in your soil and harm your plants.

And every time it rains, your water supply gets replenished naturally so it’s a free source of water for your landscaping needs.Ģ. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, a rain barrel can save as much as 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer months-and that can save you as much as $35 a month on your water bill, according to a national survey by DC Urban Gardeners.

Rain Barrels Save Money: Keeping your yard, lawn, gardens, and potted plants lush and green all summer takes a lot of water. It’s a simple solution that can pay off with a big environmental impact.ġ. Looking for an easy way to go green? A rain barrel captures rainwater from your gutters and stores it for use in your yard and garden, conserving water (and saving you money on your water bills too).ĭid you know that during an average summer rain shower (we’re talking storms that cause 1 inch of rainfall) more than 600 gallons of water drain from your roof into gutters and through downspouts? Don’t let all that water go to waste! A rain barrel collects rainwater by diverting it from your downspouts into a storage container.

Diverting rain water from down spouts