How To Install A Water Barrel Under A Gutter
The water collected in the barrel is captured directly from your gutter before it moves through a storm drain or runoff where it could become contaminated with pollutants.
How to install a water barrel under a gutter. Installing a rain catcher or rain barrel into your existing gutter system is an excellent way to harvest rainwater. Remove the screws holding the straps to the downspout and any screws that may have been put in to attach the spout to the gutter. Measure and mark carefully. To install a 3 4 hose spigot drill a 15 16 hole for the spigot threading just a few inches from the bottom of the barrel.
Allow enough room for the basket s lip to rest on top of the barrel so it won t fall in. This pure rainwater is often used to water lawns plants and gardens and installing one at your home s. Boring or cutting out a section of downspout and installing a diverter that connects to the barrel with a hose. Follow your manual s instructions to adapt the downspout.
Place the rain barrel under one of those spots and you ll get plenty of water. Get this and all the things we ve used o. Then attach a flex elbow from the gutter downspout to the hole in the top of the first barrel image 2. Generally downspouts are attached to the house by straps and will need to be dissasembled.
Lock in place with silicone to keep the system watertight image 3. Cutting the downspout to allow the barrel to fit under it and attaching an elbow section if needed. Also consider the distance to your plants gardens and flower beds. Glue the overflow valve made from two elbows and a length of pvc pipe to the hole created on the left side of the first barrel image 1.
The size of the hole you cut in the top will be determined by the size of the filter basket you plan to use.