There is an increase in the desire to collect rain water and use it around the house in order to be environmental friendly and conserve water. With the world wide water supply decreasing year by year, collecting natural rain water is an outstanding way to be kind to Mother Earth and be environmentally responsible. You also get to experience a decreased water bill and lessen your carbon footprint!
How to collect rain water
Rain barrels. Utilizing rain barrels to collect rain water is probably the most common water collecting method. You can find rain barrels at your local home improvement store, online, or you can construct one yourself. They are comprised of plastic and come in different sizes. If you happen to have a lot of rainfall, choose a large rain barrel and be sure that the top of the barrel has a cover on it to keep mosquitos, animals, and children out.
Place your rain barrels right under the down spouts on your gutters. This assures that the water run-off from the roof gets into your rain barrel. What’s great about rain barrels is that they have a spout at the bottom of them so that the rain water can flow out. Simply fill up smaller containers or hook up your hose to the spout.
Rainwater collection system. You can also install a rainwater collection system, which is comprised of big tanks that are under the ground. When it rains, the water is directed to the tanks and then when the rain water needs to be used, there is a filter and a pump that pumps the water out for your needs. This type of collection system is much pricier and will need to be installed by a professional.
Utilize other collectors. You could collect rain water naturally simply by using things you already have around your home like buckets, a child’s swimming pool, watering cans, etc. Simply allow them to fill up with the rain water and use the water within a short amount of time. If you wait too long, mosquitoes may breed, so be sure to use the water within a couple of days.
Uses for rainwater
There are many things you can use your rain water for in and around your home. Many people use it to water their gardens and plants. You can also use it for showering, washing your car, doing laundry, or watering the grass.
Options
There are various things you can do with rain water collection. For the downspouts, there are copper rain chains that add a decorative feature to the process. They spiral down from the gutter into the rain barrel and simply add some flair to the process. You can also create a rainwater garden, which you can use to specifically water your garden area.
Collecting rain water naturally is a wonderful idea to utilize free water that simply falls from the sky. You will find that being so resourceful not only helps out Mother Earth, but also gives you an accomplished feeling inside.
Image from Flickr