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By fishandplants
Posts:  140
Joined:  Thu Jun 02, 2011 1:30 pm
#137824
I was wondering if a rainbarrel would really catch enough rain if you didn't use gutters? The barrel would have to be open top, and you'd have to put it in a place where the downpour was greatest (off the roof). Seems to me a perk would be that you wouldn't get too much gunk from stuff that usually clogs up gutters, but again, could I get enough water that way? I currently have an opportunity to make my own for about $30.
By RogerMcAllen
Posts:  66
Joined:  Sat Apr 16, 2011 6:29 pm
#137855
Depends, but probably worth.

I don't have gutters on the front of my house, but if I put a bucket in just the right spot I can fill it pretty quickly.

Best case scenario you can find a place like mine where your roof drips that you can fill almost as fast as a downspout. Worst case scenario your container fills up as much as it rained (1" of rainfall = 1" deep in your barrel).

Also don't do a completely open top. Put a piece of screen on top so that mosquitoes can't get in. You should be able to do some google searching to get a few build ideas.
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By roarke
Posts:  2415
Joined:  Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:11 am
#139471
You can put on your roof a plastic thing of some sort and the water won't touch the leaves and other impurities from the rooftop.
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http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Rainwater-Collection-System
By parker679
Posts:  1642
Joined:  Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:34 pm
#139484
I think you can. I leave a 5 gallon bucket where my roof water runs off and it will easily fill up in a day of rain. For example, yesterday it was about 1/5th full, we had around 2 inches of rain and it's over flowing now.
By parker679
Posts:  1642
Joined:  Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:34 pm
#139575
fishandplants wrote:Thanks. I think I'll give it a try. And it will have protection from mosquitos and sun. :) Water can be expensive during the hot summer here.
I hear you, I was going through a few gallons a week in the height of summer. Then I just started using tap water when my rain water runs out since that's what a local grower here does with no ill effects. Not that I'm telling everyone to just use tap water, it's really dependent on your specific situation. In Tallahassee we get enough rain year round to keep everything well flushed.
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