Rainbarrels

[kHT]

One of the big projects this year was to get the last of the rainbarrels up and running. These are on the south side of the house, so far 4 of them are up.
We hope to get this completed by the end of the week, 4 more barrels to go with 2 of these barrels will be in the brug house when we get it covered and
up and running!

[Chris_W]

Wow that looks pretty elaborate. Do you use a pump to get the water back out?

We have a 350 gallon water tank that we used when we were moving. We grew things here for 2 summers without a well so we had to haul water here all the time. At the time we just parked at the top of the hill and let gravity syphon water to run sprinklers, but I'm thinking about taking this same, now unused water tank and turn it into a rain barrel. Just wondering what to use to get the water back out again...

[kHT]

Chris the spigots are located towards the bottom and so all we do is just hook a hose or watering can there and the water flows freely. One needs an overflow valve and the pipes at the top allows the water to flow to each barrel. I'm in hopes of having two in the Brug house and am looking for a couple more for the front downspouts as DH states these look to tacky for the front. Each barrel is running about $55 to make with all the fittings and the other items like screening to keep those pests out. Scream if you want more photos or a close up photo of what is uses.

Oh to have this all going into one tank would be great and I'm would love to see what you come up with!

[JaneG]

What a great set-up, Karma! I love how you have them linked together to capture more water. I have one rain barrel (80 gal) at each gutter and it's amazing how fast they fill up. One afternoon shower could fill many more than I have. We have talked about building in an overflow to another barrel in order to get more water.

Chris, can you mount your big tank high, like a mini-water tower?

I love having all that extra water available. Fortunately, the shop and house are on the highest part of our lot and we placed the barrels on concrete squares so they are raised up a little and gravity does the work. They are also convenient to quickly fill a watering can.

Okay, I found a picture. Ours are store-bought. We found them at Ace Hardware last year and then got more at Menards this year. The color even matched our siding! The gutter drains right into the top, with has slits and fine screening over it. Easy to clean and keeps the mosquitoes out. The white hose on the side is overflow, or that spot can be used to connect to second barrel for overflow. Overflow is also directed over the front edge. It comes with a short hose (the black one) which can used to fill a bucket or watering can. It also is threaded so a garden hose may be attached and also has a flow control. I can attach a hose, place it by a newly planted tree, and set it to a trickle for a few hours. We love them, like I said I'd like to get more.

These are on the back side of the shop, we also have them at the corners of the house.

[kHT]

Hey Jane, those are cool!! I want some nice one for the front drainspout but it's getting them to look nice in the small space I have to work with.
I really like those smaller units and will see what they have available out here at ACE.

I took some more photos today so you can see what we use. We had to order more bulk heads today as we have taken all that they had on the shelf
from out local plumbing shop. We have 4 more barrels to go and the bulk heads are what is holding ups up.

Chris I like the tower idea and I'm sure you could build something to support it, you are so handy. I hope these photos will help.

[kHT]

I want to add more later so for now, all finished

[Linda P]

What a great lineup of rainbarrels! I have one, and have had to use it very little this year.
I put the lid on it on June, and just started using what was in there in the last 2 weeks.
We had rain here every 3 or 4 days for the entire summer, up until the middle of September.

Linda P

[kHT]

Today we cleaned all the rain barrels, we have added one more to the north front side of the house. Still looking
for a couple to put out front. They are clean for the next rain.