How To Make Your Own Rain Barrel

 Rain Barrel 101

Rain Barrels are the new crave, and for a good reason: Everything green is thirsty! Plus, why not use good pure free water instead of using chlorine loaded city water?

So, if you have a roof and some rain fall, you may qualify for free water. With an average 3 inch of rainfall per month, you can easily collect (realistically) about 600 gallons a month on only 1/4 of your roof surface. (2335 gal/month on the full surface ~1300 sqf).  Those 600 gal/Mo translate to about  $160 worth of water per year (April to October)
Financially speaking, the ROI is about 6 months for a simple system, or 1 year if you add a sprinkler pump, or 1 1/2 year if you use top notch materials. 

Let's review the  tips and trick to make your own rain barrel for few dollars, or If you feel like it, making your own state of the art watering solution for a bit more ...

Here is how I made my 120 Gallons Rain Water Barrels Station.

As a rule of thumb, and to make your life easier: Do NOT reinvent the wheel: Use what's has already been invented!

The barrels

Look for a Car Wash and go there with your brightest smile.  If your wife or daughter is willing to participate, send them along ;-) 

Car-Wash businesses  use 55 gal plastic drums for car soap: Smile and ask if they would not mind give you one ..or two empty ones:  You just saved $50 a pop

I like the Car Wash Drums for the following reasons:

They are stackable, vertically or horizontally, have the volume markings and the top caps have often double thread for your regular homeowner hose

Before you go and drill, I suggest that you consider the following:  Do you want a temporary rainwater collection system, or do you expect to collect water for more than a summer?

If you expect to collect for more than a season, out of my own experience,  I would suggest the "better example". 

Best Example: Top loading 

I can't emphasis enough that the Oatey system is by far the most effective and most convenient system.

As mentioned previously,  CarWash 55 Gal Drums have 2 caps with a double thread.  One is a 3/4 thread for your average hose.  Just buy a Mystic Rainwater Diverter and install it in 5 Minutes. Chop-Chop You are 95% done!

What I particularly appreciate with the Oatey, is the fact that when the rain barrel is full, the water goes down the original downspout and you do not need a special overflow.

You can also collect from 2 different downspout, place one Oatey Mystic on each Downspout and run a hose back to the barrel(s).  Gravity will work as long as the Oatey Mystic is placed above the highest point of the barrel.

I also love that it looks good on your house and does not "degrade" the overall look. If you opt for the Mystic Rainwater, you will not need a large top cut, mesh filter, Flex Spout,  etc.  It also has a plug, so when winter comes, just plug it and your gutter system returns to its original state.

To let the water out, you have basically 2 solutions:

Gravity with a simple valve or spigot, or if you want to use sprinklers or a hose, a pump.

The pump solution is more adequate it you have more than one rain barrel, or if you wish to water your lawn / plants with the water collected: After multiple trips to the rain barrel with your 2 gal water can, you will, like me, realize that it takes 27 trips to empty a rain barrel :-)

I have 2! going on 3 ...

I also enjoy the pump for the following reason: I mix or make my lawn tonic, Lawn Tea, or fertilizer directly in the rain barrels and water with either sprinklers or hand held Watering Wand ... No fuss, no mess.
The pump :    1 HP 720 GPH Portable Pump  50 PSI output / 180 Ft Head.

Second Example: Flex + Mesh

That's your average DYI rainbarrel.  If you can't get your hand on a  Mystic Rainwater Diverter , the Flexspout and mesh are the most accessible solution. Otherwise, the regular top cut is more work, and look more "DYI": You'll need to cut a hole on the top, and cover it with a Mesh Strainer or a Mesh.   Be aware that if your hole is not covered, you'll breed mosquitoes and collect debris, leaf, etc ..

I like the Kitchen mesh for the following reason: Cheap, already made, has a handle (easier to empty the debris, and if you decide to dump your rain barrel; you can keep the kitchen strainer)

The Hardware

On your way home, stop at your local hardware store, or shop online from the comfort of your home.   Depending on your setting you may need the following:

• A spigot or valve + Teflon Tape + Lock Nut (optional but preferred )  Or a RainReserve Barrel/Tank Spigot Kit (Best Choice)

• A flexible Downspout or even better: An Oatey smart rain barrel diverter! (Mystic Rainwater Diverter) (Best Choice)

• A Kitchen Mesh Strainer ( Not Needed if you use the Oatey)

• A 1/4 Spade Blade  (DEWALT DW1587 6 Bit 3/8-Inch to 1/4 Inch Spade Drill Bit Assortment)

• Some Silicone for waterproofing 

Valve:  The better fitted for this purpose are the "1/2 Brass Boiler Drain Valve".   Please note that the plastic lock nut is included.  If you can, get a second lock nut.  This valve cost about $6 on Amazon. The long shank is threaded straight, others are threaded conical and will prove difficult. -Believe me!- If you do not want to deal with all the small parts, just get a RainReserve Barrel/Tank Spigot Kit  : Your life will be easier!

Kitchen Mesh Strainer

Choose a Stainless one: It will act as filter for debris and as mosquito preventive system:  4-1/2-Inch Kitchen Mesh Strainer, Stainless

Or Use a kitchen one (you can always use it in your kitchen ...in winter )

3-1/4-Inch Very Fine Mesh Strainer. During pollen season, just add some rock wool as extra filtration medium and discard when dirty. (As extra filtration, one can use an old sock, or nylon pantyhose. instead of trashing directly your old lonely sock, put them to a second use and discard when dirty)

Flexible Downspout / Diverter

You can get a flexible downspout Flex-A-Spout and hook it to the rain barrel, or get the Mystic Rainwater Diverter: It filters the large debris and when the Rain Barrel is full, diverts the rain water back to the original downspout.  I also love that it looks good on your house and does not "degrade" the overall look. If you opt for the Mystic Rainwater, you will not need a mesh and flexible downspout.

The Work

• Rinse / wash your rain barrels well. 
• Choose the location: Normally , quite close to a gutter downspout, unless you use an Oatey. If your property has a slope, try to put the rain barrels on the high spot: you'll gain some water pressure.  
• Put the drum in place and check that everything look good (is it leveled? can you see the volume marking? etc ..)  
• Check the height: You'll need to leave some room between the valve and the bottom of the rain barrel:  It stabilize the drum and allows you to place a bucket / water can under. 
• Go get a pencil and trace around the exterior of the mesh strainer on the top of the rain barrel. Make a second trace 1/4 inch inside the first trace.  With a jigsaw, cut the inside mark. 
• When the hole is made, put your arm in the rain barrel and reach down as far as you can on the side,  then move up one inch and mark the exterior of the rain barrel with a pencil:   This is where you'll drill the spigot hole : DEWALT DW1587 6 Bit 3/8-Inch to 1/4 Inch Spade Drill Bit Assortment.  1/4 inch spade drill bit will do the trick,  don't forget to remove blurs
• Wrap the tread in Teflon tape and screw one lock nut flat face facing the barrel.  cover that flat face with silicone.  Gently but firmly, screw the valve into the hole you just drilled. Stop when the lock nut is in compression. 
• Take the second lock nut, place your arm into the top hole and screw it to the valve: The 2 lock nuts will will work in compression and hold your valve firmly while providing waterproofing. 
• Drill some holes on the crown to avoid water stagnation on the top. (the drum should already have holes )   
  

 If you have made a "mistake"  of if you doubt the waterproofing, you can use JB WaterWeld instead of silicone. JB WaterWeld is an epoxy resin that can fix about anything, it also cures under water. it only cost few bucks but has a million uses and will save your life. 


Cons:

You'll have no or little water pressure (don't expect to use sprinklers) unless you have a pump.  If you do, you'll be the king of your backyard and Master of your Garden: Add a timer and you'll sip your margarita watching your garden being perfectly watered ...

Pros:

It's free water: up to thousands of gallons per months!

It's green: No energy needed to process the water, no treatment plant, better for your garden/lawn  and the environment! 

It's good water: No chlorine or chemical added. Rain Water is better than city water for your garden.

You can mix fertilizer right in the barrel: No fuss or guess.  You can even make your own lawn tonic or "garden tea" 

You'll easily save 100's of dollars in water, sewer bill and overpriced fertilizer

How much Rain Water can I collect?

If your house is average sized, (50'x25') and if you collect water only from 1/4 of the roof, you can expect about ~650 Gal per month on average in New England. Check your local average rainfall on weather.com for more.

Here is the detail:

Average Rainfall / Mo	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sept	Oct
Inch	3.6	3.3	3.1	2.8	3.3	3.1	3.3
mm	91.4	83.8	78.7	71.1	83.8	78.7	83.8
Gal/Mo 1300 Sqf roof	2,992	2,743	2,577	2,327	2,743	2,577	2,743	full roof
Gal/Mo 650 Sqf roof	1,496	1,371	1,288	1,164	1,371	1,288	1,371	1/2 roof
Gal/Mo  325  Sqf roof	748	686	644	582	686	644	686	1/4 roof

Where I am (New England) that translate to about $150 ~ $170 worth of water from April to October (1/2 roof)

A 0.5 inch rainfall will deliver about 200 gal on 500 sqf ,  expect to collect ~150

Multiple Rain Barrels
You can add a spigot or valve to each rain barrel, topped by a Y-Connector (you need in/out) or directly a threaded male Y connector.
As for my 2 cents, I follow the KIS Mechanical principle (Keep It Simple) and the wonderful law of gravity. The less mechanical parts, the less chances of a problem. So I use tubing as siphon: once primed*,  the pressure differential in water level will equalize all barrels. No parts, no valves, just a tube going from bottom to bottom of the the barrels.
The Barrel receiving the rainwater is the one that has the valve connected to the  1 HP 720 GPH Portable Pump.   this pump delivers 50 PSI / 180 ft Head, and that's what you need for sprinklers or hand held watering. Household pressure are generally around 50~50 PSI (3.8 bar)

*To prime easily, use a cheap shut off valve on one end:
Open the Valve, Dip the tube in the barrel and fill it with water, close the valve and keep the open end under water, put the closed end under water too, open the valve and put in place.  The 2 open ends now must be kept below the level of the spigot, otherwise air will go in and stop the siphon.  Multiple Rain Barrels

Fertilizers, Organic tea, Lawn Tonic and Harvard Brew
 You can mix or make you own brew, fertilizers, or garden tea directly in the rain barrels for a fraction of the price of commercial products: What about 120 Gal of fertilized water for less than $5? (no, I am not kidding)
 Having the markings on the drum, you can mix exactly the right amount and use it over few days.  It's all explained here, in a brand new article.

Shopping List:  

1/2 Brass Boiler Drain Valve  Or  RainReserve Barrel/Tank Spigot Kit

Flex-A-Spout Or  Mystic Rainwater Collection System (preferred)
 4-1/2-Inch Stainless Mesh Strainer

In Re. To Dustin:
Bulkhead: a Foolproof, never leak way to secure your hose. http://amzn.to/1zQHRtV
Stainless Steel Hose Clamp: http://amzn.to/1QsAA7i


Tools:
6 Bit 3/8-Inch to 1/4 Inch Spade Drill Bit
Teflon Tape, Silicon, Pencil