Domestic use of rain barrels

11/07/08

Rain barrels are tanks used to collect and store rain water which can be used to serve a number of purposes. Rain water collected by these barrels have a number of uses ranging from gardening, washing cars, in washing machines, etc. In times when drinking water is unavailable or expensive, water collected through rain barrels can be used for drinking purposes after proper filtration and cleansing. Waste of precious water to runoffs can be controlled by the use of rain barrels the utility of which is evident. 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 can be kept under a Gutter anywhere around the house.

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. Use of different materials such as wood or plastic etc would alter the cost substantially. Heavy duty material is preferable for longer life as well as efficiency though the price might be higher. 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. The placement of rain barrels can also vary efficiency and thus is important. It should be placed in such a location so that transfer for use in gardens etc, is easily possible. It should also have a heavy duty overflow pipe which drains water away from the building when there is heavy rain.

In today's 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. Rain water is considered more beneficial for gardening purposes as well as it does not contain chemicals found in regular water supply.

It is observable that a rain barrel requires more than just a barrel for functioning. Analyzing and estimating cost for constructing a rain barrel, it would be around $120 while purchasing the same off the market would set you back by around $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 The price of tools used for construction of the barrel would be separate and thus adding those to the cost would put it at par with the one purchased in terms of cost. It is easily settled that purchasing rain barrels over constructing one is favorable.

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