A 1/4 inch of rain falling on the average home yields more than 200 gallons of water, according to the Conservation Foundation. Collecting and saving that water in a rain barrel for use in your yard on the dry days of summer can reduce your water bills, help divert rainwater away from your home's foundation, and have a positive impact on the environment by reducing the amount of runoff water that ends up in creeks and rivers. There are some important steps to consider when saving water in rain barrels.
Mosquito Control
Step 1
Unscrew the lid of the drum and turn it over. With a jigsaw, cut a 7-inch round hole in the center of the lid for the inflow of rainwater. With scissors, cut mosquito screen material to cover the hole, leaving a 2-inch overlap. Place a 9-inch plastic drain gate over the hole in the lid and mark the four corners. Using a power drill, make a hole 1 inch away from the edge of the drain gate, near each corner. Insert machine screws through the holes in the top of the lid. Turn the lid over and place mosquito screening over the opening. Attach the drain gate by placing it over the screws to hold the mosquito screening in place. Put washers on each screw and tighten with a wing nut.
Step 2
Add 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil to the rain barrel, at the beginning of each season, to help deter mosquitoes. Another way to deter mosquitoes is by using small amounts of a mosquito larvicide in your rain barrel. You can buy this in hardware stores and online. The active ingredient in the larvicide, Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, will kill mosquitoes for a month or more. It won't harm wildlife or plants.
Step 3
Attach screening to the ends of the overflow hoses by wrapping mosquito screening around the end of the hose, leaving 2 inches of excess material. To attach a hose clamp, slip the clamp over the netting and tighten. Mosquitoes can enter through hoses, if they're not screened.
Rain Barrel Maintenance
Step 1
Inspect the drum or tank occasionally for cracks. Some rain barrels, especially ones that are clear, light-colored and in direct sunlight, may become brittle. Painting a plastic rain barrel will extend its life. Use a spray paint or other paint made for plastics.
Step 2
Clean your rain barrel, periodically, by rinsing it out with a hose. This helps prevent debris from accumulating. Also, check that nothing has collected in any of the openings. If you put screening on the top of the barrel or have a downspout screen in place, check them occasionally, to see if they need to be cleaned. Keeping the screens clean allows water to flow freely.
Step 3
Drain the rain barrel before hard freezes hit. Rinse the rain barrel out with a hose and turn it upside-down to store. Cracks may occur if water is left inside over the cold months, because of the freezing and thawing that occurs with the changing temperatures.
Using Multiple Rain Barrels
Step 1
Determine if you want to connect the rain barrels at the top or the bottom. If you connect them at the top, take into consideration that the first rain barrel needs to be at a level slightly higher than the second rain barrel.
Step 2
Drill a 1-inch hole 4 inches up from the bottom of each barrel to install a faucet. Wrap the threaded end of the faucet with plumber's tape. Apply a bead of silicone caulk to the flange and insert the faucet into the hole. Attach a 3/4-inch lock nut to the threads of the faucet from the inside and tighten until secure. To connect two rain barrels together at the top, you'll need to have a faucet at the bottom of each rain barrel.
Step 3
Cut a 2 1/4 inch hole about 4 inches from the top of the barrel, using a jigsaw, to attach the rain barrels at the top. Screw a 2-inch male PVC adaptor into the hole by hand. Put a bead of silicone caulk around the outside of the adaptor, where it joins the rain barrel. Cut a piece of 2-inch flexible hose long enough to reach the top of the second barrel. Attach one end of the hose to the overflow adaptor of the first barrel using a hose clamp. The other end of the hose should be positioned so it drains into the top of the second barrel. Keep in mind that the top of the second barrel must be at a level below the overflow outlet of the first barrel for water to flow to the second rain barrel. The last rain barrel should also have an overflow outlet.
Step 4
Cut a 2 1/4 inch hole 3 inches from the bottom of each barrel using a jigsaw to connect the rain barrels at the bottom. Screw a 2-inch male PVC adaptor into the holes of both rain barrels by hand. Put a bead of silicone caulk around the outside of each adaptor to seal each hole. Cut a piece of 2-inch flexible hose long enough to reach the next barrel to be connected. Attach each end of the hose to both overflow adaptors using a hose clamp. The last barrel should have an overflow outlet. Rain barrels connected at the bottom should be at the same level.
Tips and Warnings
- Check with your housing development, town or municipality to see if you need a permit to place a rain barrel in your yard.
- To avoid accidents involving children and animals, only use a rain barrel with a lid. Check your rain barrel often to make sure the lid is on securely. A rain barrel is very heavy when it is full, so for extra security, place a rubber strap around the barrel and secure it to a nearby wall.
Things You'll Need
- Jigsaw
- Mosquito screening
- Scissors
- 1 plastic drain gate, 9-inch
- Power drill
- 4 machine screws with wing nuts, 1-inch, #10 diameter
- 4 washers
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- Mosquito larvicide
- 1 hose clamp
- Spray paint for plastic
- 1 outside faucet per barrel, if needed
- Plumber's tape
- Silicone caulk
- 1 locknut per barrel, 3/4-inch
- 1 male PVC adaptor, 2-inch
- 1 flexible hose, 2-inch
- 2 hose clamps
- 1 outside faucet, if needed
- Plumber's tape
- Silicone caulk
- 1 locknut per barrel, 3/4-inch
- Jigsaw
- 2 male PVC adaptors, 2-inch
- 1 flexible hose, 2-inch
- 2 hose clamps
References
- Southwest Florida Water Management District: Rain Barrels: A Homeowner's Guide
- Ecology Action Center: Harvesting Rainwater with Rain Barrels, an Old Idea with a New Following
- Clean Virginia Waterways: Rain Barrels for Harvesting Rain Water
- Conservation Foundation: Rain Barrels
- Missouri State University: How to Make a Rain Barrel
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