How does a rain barrel Work
There has been a surge in the popularity of rain barrels among gardeners in recent years, as they are a great way to capture rainwater and use it to water your plants. However, rain barrels do not come equipped with a pump, so how do they function? I hear this question all the time. In this post, I aim to clear up all your confusion about rain barrels and explain how they work in detail.
How do Rain Barrels Work?
Whether it is rainwater flowing through a gutter or coming from a shed or garage, rain barrels are used to collect it. Connecting the gutter to the barrel can divert water from the gutter into the barrel. Using a rain barrel gutter attachment or rainwater gutter diverter kit, or a flexible downspout tube to a gutter, you can attach a rain barrel to the gutter. You will need to follow different steps depending on your rain barrel type.
There is generally a hole at the top or side of rain barrels for water to run into them from downspouts or gutter diverters. Rainwater from the downspout will fill the rain barrel every time it rains. When the water is ready to use, it will be stored in a barrel.
What Happens When Rain Barrel is Full?
Once a rain barrel is full, it needs somewhere to go, and it's amazing how fast it fills up with very little rainfall. Also, I often get asked if rain barrels overflow. Rain barrel gutter diverter kits stop water flow after a barrel is full if they are used with rain barrel gutters.
The diverter shuts off once the rain barrel is full, so rainwater flows through the gutter normally. In addition, if your gutter is simply diverted into a barrel, then it's a bit different. An overflow valve near the top will drain excess rainwater from the barrel once it has been filled.
My rain barrel has an overflow valve that I attached an old cut-off piece of hose to so that I can control where the water goes when it overflows. Rain barrels overflow usually aren't able to keep up with heavy rains, and the excess water may bubble over instead of releasing.
My barrels are conveniently located near the garage and next to the deck, one near the garage and the other next to the deck. The exception is if the rain barrel is to be mounted next to the foundation of the house and the basement is below ground level. If you want to prevent flooding in your gutters, then you should definitely use a rain barrel gutter attachment or install an external rainwater diverter kit.
Where to Use Rain Barrel Water
You should never drink rain barrel water. Use it only for gardening. Chemicals leaching from roofing tiles and animal waste can get into rain barrel water, raising concerns about the safety of rain barrel water used in vegetable gardens.
Reduce the use of rain barrel water on edibles once the fruit has been set and before harvesting in order to reduce the likelihood of contamination. You should also frequently empty your rainwater barrels to prevent stagnant water from attracting mosquitoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the problems with rain barrels?
When heavy rains fall, your roof can leak thousands of gallons of water. It doesn't take long for that barrel to fill up. The overflowing of rain barrels during heavy rains may cause moisture control problems in basements, crawl spaces, slabs, and structural settlements.
Do rain barrels attract mosquitoes?
You can conserve resources, save money, and provide water for your garden by having a rain barrel in your yard. Mosquitoes thrive in rain barrels, which is a sad fact.
Why does my rain barrel smell like rotten eggs?
You usually smell rotten eggs coming from your rain barrel because decaying plant particles make their way into it from your roof, gutter, and barrel. You can get these particles inside your rain barrel without a filter.
Wrapping Up
Thanks for reading this post on how rain barrels work. I hope it answers your question. It's time to get started on your own rain harvesting system now that you know how rain barrels work. Rain barrels can be used individually, connected to each other, or even built into large rainwater collection systems.