🍃[FESTIVAL] Consider installing a Rain Barrel at your downspout 🍃

[Jennifer3225]

The Ups and Downs of Sustainability 

With Felicity Stevens, Australia 🇦🇺 @Felicity11 and Jennifer Schnier, Canada 🇨🇦 (HAB 2022-2023)

“Children love water, grown-ups love water. Having Rain barrels also means providing outside water, while not having to leave a hose outside” 

Consider installing a Rain Barrel at your downspout. 

Highlights

• Municipal Water can be expensive
• Some water sources are limited in areas where water tables run dry
• Rain is free and always fun 

What can your guests do with a Rain Barrel?

• Water your gardens for you
• Cool off in the summer
• Put out a smoldering fire pit
• Clean off their golf clubs
• Wash puppies feet
• Let small guests play with the water
• Fill a kiddie pool

Thoughts from Up North 🇨🇦 

In Canada installing Rain Barrels in your listing will take a little time to sort out. The best place coast to coast to get a rain barrel are:

1. Rainbarrel dot com (Ask for Leah. A great company based in Hamilton but repurposes rain barrels out of Olive Containers that are used to ship across the seas.
2. Home Depot Rain Barrels. 

Rain Barrels are best installed at a downspout of your home. Each rain barrel comes with a watering spiggot with an off and on valve as well as an overflow hose to avoid flooding. 

But What about the winter?

Planning what you will do with your rain barrel in the winter and cold months is important to consider. Some options:

1. Store upside down and outside in a safe place from wind
2. Store in the garage or a shelter, upside down 

How to install a Rain Barrel

Various hardware stores can sell you the equipment you need to redirect water from your downspout to the barrel. A flexible elbow can fit many eaves systems. The idea is to go to the water source and collect up a barrel full of water, at no additional expense.

Place the barrels near your downspout and plan ahead in your gardening to have outdoor pots near the rain barrel. Make sure your rainbarrel is level and let gravity help you. Having the barrel a little higher than your garden will make watering easier in the future. 

Use the space around the rain barrel to decorate with local flowers. Keep the spigot accessible so you or your guests can water your plants for you. It is a fun outside activity that makes your guests feel at home.

“Enabling your guests to be able to water your plants if they want to, will make your listing feel more like home. Rain Barrels help with that because they are fun, the water is free, and watered flowers are always a little more loved.” 

Thoughts from Down Under🇦🇺

Water is a very precious resource and we need to use it carefully.  Many Australian homes now have water tanks that collect grey water from the roof. The grey water is then used to water gardens, flush toilets and in washing machines. 

 

What do we want to know from you?

1. Where do you get your rain barrels/water tanks?
2. What do your guests do with the water from your rain barrel?
3. How do you use the water in your water tanks?
4. How do you store the barrels in the winter?

Let us know! Join the conversation.

[Laurelle3]

@Jennifer3225 and @@Felicity1 another great topic. When building new homes or accommodation down under we have to have abassix with 100 points to make our properties sustainable. Most of the points come from overhanging eaves. Homes huilt facing north, soft surfaces around properties, insulation, paint colours on walls, roof colours and Water tanks as mentioned for grey water or garden water. 

I use my water collected for the garden, washing or spraying on the roof in summer to cool it down in the heat. But we also have an issue in Australia if there is too much water lying around with mosquito's borne diseases. It becomes a catch 22 when we are thinking of the environment.

[Jennifer3225]

Interesting. Do you have a link to the abassix of the 100 points? Might be interesting to look at.

Jennifer

[Felicity11]

HI @Jennifer3225 

Here is a link to the Basix requirements  @Laurelle3  mentions above. 

https://www.basixmax.com.au/basix-requirements

[Felicity11]

@Laurelle3  yes there is a double edged sword with gathering rain water in Australia and in many parts of the world with the need to keep water covered to keep it from evaporating and avoid mosquitos moving in.

I find many water tanks are well sealed off to avoid insects getting in and many remote properties rain water tanks being built with additional features in case they are needed in bush fires. (fingers crossed they are never needed)

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Jennifer3225 

Collecting rain water is so excellent!

We have huge water storage tanks that collect rain off the barn roof. They are plumbed in to our firefighting system and can also be used for irrigation if necessary. 

[Jennifer3225]

Hi

I was reading this yesterday when I was out and have been thinking about your fire suppression system for firefighting, and I cannot help but think this is such a brilliant idea.

Something that hosts could do worldwide, the irrigation is a good idea also. I find that small children have great fun with the barrels of water, and I intentionally have many plants near the barrels in case they want to water the plants. 

[Catherine-Powell]

Hi @Jennifer3225 @Felicity11 ,

I really appreciate you taking the time to share the various ways people can use rain barrels and the impact of collecting greywater. I had no idea they were used for so many different things. It's absolutely essential to conserve water, and even get guests involved.

Best wishes,
Catherine

[Jennifer3225]

Hi Catherine

Rain Barrels can be great fun for sure for young people, and it absolutely keeps them off the taps where municipal water can be costly.

We need to think of a new name for Greywater, as it sounds so uninviting. When the water comes clear and pure from the sky,  we should call it Rain Water.. let's start a movement on that front!

Cheers

Jennifer

[Charlotte40]

I live rurally with no council water supply.   We collect all the water for our house and airbnb cottage from the roof.  My kids hate having to drink the "yucky town water" that has been treated with chemicals when they go to school in town 😉