Rain Barrel-A/C Water Conservation

With Master Gardeners & N.W.F Habitat Stewards

Ann Poe & Art Constantino artcons@bellsouth.net

Our homemade drum style rain barrelA vessel used to store rainwater

What is a Rain Barrel?

More Rain barrels Other types of storage vessels

Web purchased

Web purchased

Mona & Walter Johnston M.E. DePalma

Mona & Walter Johnston Web purchased

Advantages of Using Rain Barrels

•You doing your part to conserve water

•Helps supplement irrigation

•Reduces storm water runoff

•Directs irrigation to reduce water waste

•Acidic rain water aids our alkaline soil

How Much Water Can I Collect?

•Art’s half roof = 432 sq ft or 259 gallons per 1”

•Collects more water than he can store

•4 - 55 gallon drums = 220 gallon storage

•1" rain = 600 gal of water per 1000 sq feet of roof

Rain Barrel Considerations

•Check community deed restrictions

•Keep independent from house plumbing or sprinkler

•Vessels size & shape for your water needs

•Elevated sturdy frame minimum 15” high

•locate in shade - close to the gutter & usage

•Use suitable vessel

Food Grade vs. Non-food Grade

Food-grade containers are preferred by many but water quality is not a concern when collecting rain water watering lawns or gardens

Collected water is not for human consumption

How do I know if the barrel is safe?Request a Material Data Safety Sheet from the supplier of your used barrel. It states the hazards of the material the container held

Our Model Rain Barrel

•Non-food grade - used barrel

•After washing – safe for use

•Heavy duty – stable - opaque

•Water filter – large overflow

•Lower or upper joining

•Move water without a pump

Filter Feature of Our Rain Barrel

•Use small pool skimmer filter

•Filter roof and gutter debris

•Keeps out bugs-mosquitoes

•Holds flexible downspout firm

Overflow Feature of Our Rain Barrel

•1 ½” pipe removes water fast

•Easily moves water away from foundation to drainage area

•Pvc pipe is custom fit

High Joining of Our Rain Barrel

•High joining-easy to build

•Fill one barrel at a time

•Empty one barrel at a time

•Each barrel needs spigot

•Connect two or more rain barrels via high joining

•Last barrel gets overflow

Lower Joining of our rain barrel

•Two people to move

•Built in 2" fittings

•Both barrels fill and empty together

•Overflow on last barrel

•One spigot used

Shown upside down

•More difficult to build

•Connect two or more rain barrels via low joining

You Don’t Have a Gutter

A 10 foot section of gutter & downspout can be installed where needed.

•The cost is low

•Few tools used to do the job

•Supply the most water

•Medium difficulty

You Are Limited Only by Your Imagination

You may not have seen the next ideas before. We hope you will be

inspired to try a few yourself.

Using Rain Chains

•Difficult to install gutter & downspout

•Easy to install

•Available in many styles & prices

•Any vessel can be used to create yard art.

•Use a rain chain to move water

Decorative Smaller Vessels

•Yard art can be used in “deed restrictive” areas

Built by Mona & Walter Johnston

•Use as many as you need

•Use rain chains to supply the water

•Many sizes - styles - colors - shapes available

A/C Discharge Water

•7 - 8 dry season days = 55 gallons water

•Lots of water for very little effort

•A/C water readily available year round including dry season when needed most

Saving water without rain

Mechanics of A/C Discharge Water

•A/C units discharge water by gravity or pump

•No pump in or near drip pan

•Your A/C handler in the central interior area

Both systems capture & save A/C water

•Your A/C handler is near a outside wall

You have a gravity drain

• A pump under or near the drip pan

•You have a pumped system

•Pump water to larger vessel

Using Gravity Fed A/C water?

This is a type of gravity fed A/C water system

•Most storage vessel buried

•Near A/C water discharge

•A/C water piped into vessel

•Small pump installed inside

Courtesy Mona & Walter Johnston

•A/C on…barrel is refilling

Saving water without rain

•A/C on…barrel is refilling

Using Pump Fed A/C Water?

This is a type of pump fed A/C water system

•Storage vessel elevated

•Barrel can be further away

•Pump not needed in barrel

•Clear tubing easy to use

Saving water without rainOctober Rose, Hibiscus radiatus

Supplying Water Features

•Rain barrels or vessels can supply your water

•By pumping or using raised barrels or vessels

•Here is one example of how it can be done

•Keep your pond, fountain or decorative urn filled

•Rain Barrel & A/C water can be used to…

Decorative Urn Water Feature

http://www.gardeners.com/Rain-Catcher-Urn/

•Purchased / homemade urn

•Run rigid or soft pipe from your water storage vessel to the back of the urn

•Connect pipe to fill valve

•From fill valve pipe into urn

•Install hose bib on front

This urn available $199.+ at •Urn becomes a rain barrel

Fountain Water Feature

•Large bottom basin holding 5-6 gallons preferred

•Run rigid or soft pipe from your water storage to the back of the fountain

•Connect pipe to fill valve

•From fill valve pipe into basin

•Install hose bib on front-back

•Fountain is multi tasking

Homemade Rain Barrels

Photo & barrels by Wain Barber

•Two lower joining 55 gallon drums

•Inverted for stability

•With a filter & hose bib

•Large overflow

•Hidden by bushes-tarp in deed restricted area

Purchased Rain Barrel

M.E. DePalma Photo

•Purchased barrel online from Great American Rain Barrel

•Opaque - sturdy - filter overflow & hose bib

•100 % recycled plastic

•Available in four colors

•Trouble free many years

Where to Get Parts Shown

•Home Depot & Lowe’s carry all the plumbing parts & fixtures used here.

•For barrels check your yellow pages under drums-barrels new/used.

•The WWW is a great source to find commercial rain barrels, urns, rain chains, pumps, etc

Building Rain Barrel handouts are available.

We will be glad to answer your questions.