Rain barrels and its uses
View PDF | Print View
by: georgewonderman
Total views: 362
Word Count: 655
Rain barrels are containers used to collect as well as store rain water for later use. The primary use of the collected rain water can be for gardening (which accounts for 40% of the total water used by any household), washing cars, in washing machines and in exceptional circumstances after proper filtering for drinking as well. The rain water collected through these barrels would otherwise be lost to run offs and diverted to storm drains and streams. The use of rain barrels is for environment conservation and also to save money.
A rain barrel is a 20 to 100 Gallon Tank, a vinyl hose, PVC couplings and a screen to keep insects and other debris out. It has to be kept in a convenient location under a gutter where the rain Water can be drained into it easily.
A rain barrel is easily available in many shapes and sizes. People lacking handy skills would prefer a barrel with minimum installation. Due to various designs, brands, material used and capacity the price of a rain barrel is varied. It is advisable to check out various models which are available in the market or through gardening catalogues before ordering it. The cost of a rain barrel will depend on the material used primarily as it can be made of wood as well as plastic. The use of heavy duty material might be more expensive but would be beneficial and more effective in the long run. The existence of online sellers increases easy availability of rain barrels. The average price of rain barrels ranges from $100 to $350.
With an efficiency of 70 to 90% rain barrels are very useful. 600 gallons of water can be collected from an area of 1000 Sq feet for every inch of rain. Rain barrels have to be positioned carefully for increased efficiency. Easy transferability of the water is important and should be considered while placing it. The placement of an overflow pipe is important and should be diverted away from the building during heavy rain.
In todays world where conservation of the environment and natural resources is the talk of the town, harvesting rain water through rain barrels is a grass root level plan for water conservation. The water if not conserved would be wasted in run offs (which also causes river, stream etc. pollution), is used for various purposes which accounts for a large part of the water usage by a household. The use of these rain barrels would reduce pressure on the water table and tap water supply. Use of rain water is preferred for gardening over tap water as it is devoid of chemicals found in normal water supply which is harmful for plants.
On a preliminary comparison of home made over purchased rain barrels, it is easily observed that purchased rain barrels are more efficient. Primarily it should be stated that a rain water barrel requires more than a barrel too work. An estimated cost for a constructed rain barrel is around $120 while the same can be bought for approximately $200. This cost however includes installation as well and the efficiency of the purchased barrel can be guaranteed as it is made professionally while the one constructed at home is most likely to have glitches, which decrease efficiency, such as leaks in the tank etc. considering the amount of water it is being build to hold Also, after factoring the cost of tools required for constructing a barrel the cost increases and thus it can be settled that purchasing an easily available barrel is beneficial. The advantages of purchasing ready made rain barrels over building one which could be a cumbersome task has been emphasized and should be preferred according to this author. References Connect rain barrels ... Rain water barrel ...
About the Author
Learn more about building a rain barrel, stop by www.palmettorainbarrels.com.
Rating: Not yet rated