[rif]

I admit I'm just starting my research.

The drainage and grading around one of my downspouts is poor - I need to get the water far away from the downspout before it won't pool.

I'll make/buy a barrel, hooked up to the downspout, and install a standard garden hose faucet halfway up the barrel. I'll then run a garden hose around 50 feet to lower ground.

I'd appreciate any of your thoughts on the plan or where to buy/ get plans for barrels.
Thanks

[limits]

Hi rif:

We have two rain barrels that are linked together in the rear/top of each barrel by a barbed fitting and hose. Both barrels have a spigot in the front that is very close to the 'bottom of the barrel' so we have elevated the barrels using some pavers, so that we can connect a hose to them more easily. Each of our barrels also have a ~ 4 inch hole cut out of the tops and a strainer basket with small holes that fits in the cutout. This allows for overflow, and prevents mosquitos from taking up residence (we live in northern Minnesota, so...).

During a decent rain, they fill up FAST! We usually keep one of the spigots open so they don't drain around our slab if we are gone. We only use the water for flowers, as I am not too keen about using the water for vegetables/herbs (asphault roof). We purchased ours from a greenhouse (used wine barrels from France) for around $80 each--too inexpensive to DIY, I thought.

Hope this helps. We are in kind of a similar situation, in that we have an awkward downspout in a corner of a paver patio, so we needed some storage/drainage.

Good luck with the project;
limits

[WGH]

Brad Lancaster has researched and written books about rain water harvesting. His site has all types of info including calculators, materials needed, and links to tank manufacturers.

http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/

[Wayner]

Back in the old days, they called them systerns.....Don't get me going on rainwater "harvesting". You either collect rain water or not. There are a bunch of people here that think they can save the earth if they only used rain barrels.

Personally, I don't think this is the answer for you if your worried about getting water into your basement from a downpour. It really sound like you need to get a down spout adaptor and connect a good length of hose to it to get the water away from your house. Or, put in some 2" PVC pipe and put it under the sod, hopefully to a lower area, away from the house.

 

Wayner

[rif]

Personally, I don't think this is the answer for you if your worried about getting water into your basement from a downpour. It really sound like you need to get a down spout adaptor and connect a good length of hose to it to get the water away from your house. Or, put in some 2" PVC pipe and put it under the sod, hopefully to a lower area, away from the house.

 

Wayner

Ideally I'd bury a 4" PVC pipe that's directly connected to the downspout, but I'm not keen on digging around underground ac mains, fiber optic lines, buried irrigation lines, etc.

I didn't know you could hook up a garden hose directly to a downspout. That's something to definitely consider.  I thought the rain barrel would act like a buffer between downspout and garden hose. And as a method to keep excess water from backing up the downspout.

[Bizarroterl]

I don't think Wayner meant a garden hose.  They're too small to use to capture roof runoff directly.

[sts9fan]

As stated, this is not really what barrels are for.
That said I have used rain collection barrels with great success.

[Wayner]

And that success was collecting rain water.....

 

[Wayner]

I don't think Wayner meant a garden hose.  They're too small to use to capture roof runoff directly.

Yes, certainly. Garden hoses are not the answer. Certainly, your area must require marking of all utilities before you dig, so as not to severe power, gas, whatever lines. This is the 21st century, right?

If you have a problem, don't deal with it in a half ass way, 'cause in the end, it will bite you in the ass with a potential big water problem. Water makes soil compress, making for the potential to experience "sink holes". Deal with the problem in a correct, professional manor would be my suggestion.

I once read that water causes way more damage to a home then fire ever did. So, "some fatherly advice", get it fixed, the right way, and "rain barrels" ain't it.

Wayner

[sts9fan]

And that success was collecting rain water.....

 

You got it! Plus keeping high need plants watered (hops).
Wayner, everyone knows you don't like or accept anything you don't do. So why not stick to glueing sticks to phono carts.

[fredgarvin]

We use them out here to store water for when the power goes out. The pump is out too and the water can be used for anything short of drinking and cooking.

[WGH]

I assumed you wanted to collect water because here in the desert we only use rain barrels for "rainwater harvesting" but if you are more interested in storm water management then the site above has links to that topic too along with a Catchment Area – Runoff Calculator/Spreadsheet
http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/rainwater-harvesting-inforesources/water-harvesting-calculations/

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Rainwater Harvesting site has a stormwater management page:
http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/stormwater-management/

[Scott F.]

Better check the laws in your area, not just municipal but the state DNR and/or EPA

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/man-sentenced-30-days-catching-rain-water-own-property-enters-jail

[WGH]

At the opposite end on the spectrum Tucson Water will rebate qualifying residential rainwater harvesting system costs under two levels of funding up to a maximum of $2,000. Also Tucson is the first municipality in the country to require developers of commercial properties to harvest rainwater for landscaping. The ordinance mandates that new developments meet 50 percent of their landscaping water requirements by capturing rainwater.

[Wayner]

You got it! Plus keeping high need plants watered (hops).
Wayner, everyone knows you don't like or accept anything you don't do. So why not stick to glueing sticks to phono carts.

I like projects that have outcomes that solve problems. If the OP said he was going to build a 2500 gallon systern, then I'd say he was spot on (as opposed to some rain barrels that will do nothing to help the OPs problem). Sure the rain barrels can make you feel good, (your saving the earth), but in reality, does nothing but make a breading ground for bug based diseases.

And sts9fan, how cool of you to compliment an Audio by Van Alstine product, a paying Audiocircles member and thread owner, that supports this forum so you can make such wonderful comments like the one you just made, that has nothing to do with the topic, and all to do with slinging mud at a comment of mine you didn't like.

Enjoy watering your plants.

Wayner

[BobM]

It sounds like you need to address a lot of water. Many years ago I had a similar problem at one corner of the house. We have clay about 2' down. Here's what I did and it worked perfectly. Perhaps you could expand it for your needs?

I took an empty 5 gal spackle bucket (I was refinishing the basement at the time so I had one on hand). I drilled a bunch of 1/2" holes around the sides, top and bottom. Then I dug a hole close to the downspout deep enough to bury it about 6" or so below the surface of the ground. I got a bunch of loose rock and lined the bottom, sides and top around the barrel, then piled dirt on top and seeded. Maybe a small field of these (@3-4) would work for you?

[fredgarvin]

Sure the rain barrels can make you feel good, (your saving the earth), but in reality, does nothing but make a breading ground for bug based diseases.

Er....treating the water works, just like it did in 1860! 

Preliminary use of water chlorination took place in the mid to late 1800's. The history of water chlorination for regular disinfection of public water supplies, however, began in the U.S. early in the 20th century and led to a dramatic drop in the incidence of the major waterborne diseases.
http://www.brighthubengineering.com/structural-engineering/77511-water-chlorination-history-the-mid-1800s-through-the-early-1900s/

[Mikeinsacramento]

Personally, I don't think this is the answer for you if your worried about getting water into your basement from a downpour. It really sound like you need to get a down spout adaptor and connect a good length of hose to it to get the water away from your house. Or, put in some 2" PVC pipe and put it under the sod, hopefully to a lower area, away from the house.

 

Wayner

That's what I did.  Ran a 3" line to the street.