BUILD A PLASTIC RAIN WATER BARREL
RAIN BARREL FAQ
How big a roof is need for a Rain Barrel
Can I paint my barrel?
Are there any other ways I can 'disguise' my barrel?
Can I drink the water from my rain barrel?
When should I disconnect my rain barrel in the fall? And re-connect it in the spring?
I want to get a single rain barrel right now, but might want to add another barrel to the same system later-can I do this?
How do I clean the inside of the rain barrel?
How many barrels has Sustain Dane installed and distributed in Wisconsin?
Why is storm water bad for the lakes-doesn't water help the lakes?
How much does the barrel weigh when it is full?
What is the price for a rain barrel?
How big a roof is need for a Rain Barrel?
Generally speaking . 1" of rain on a 1000 square-foot roof will generate about 600 gallons of runoff. To calculate the amount of water that will run off your roof in a rain event, multiply the square footage of your roof by 600, then divide by 1000. Our barrels are 55 gallons, and they fill surprisingly quickly in a decent rain.
Can I paint my barrel?
The barrels are made from high-density-polyethylene (HDPE),
and we found a paint called Krylon Fusion that is very good for painting
Plastic Rain Barrels.
Are there any other ways I can 'disguise' my barrel?
We recommend placing 'chicken-wire' around your barrel and training some sort of native vine plant up the wire. Some people have built aesthetically-pleasing enclosures for the barrel. Another option is to site the barrel hidden among bushes/shrubs to make it less noticeable.
Can I drink the water from my rain barrel?
We do not recommend drinking unfiltered water from a Rain Barrel!
You should disconnect your rain barrel before the first hard freeze. If you empty all water out of your barrel, you can keep it attached for a few weeks more, just make sure you are completely emptying it out every time it fills.
You should wait until the first good rain of the springtime has fallen before reattaching your rain barrel. The first good rain will flush considerably more debris from the roof and gutters than subsequent rains. Attaching your rain barrel before this point will increase the chances of clogging.
I want to get a single rain barrel right now, but might want to add another barrel to the same system later-can I do this?
Yes-You can add another bulkhead fitting to the top or bottom of a Rain
Barrel to connect together with PVC Pipe. We recommend that you consider
ordering all Rain Barrels at the same time so they will be the same type and
we can set up the overflow properly.
How do I clean the inside of the rain barrel?
The Rain Barrels have been triple washed and ready for use. The New
Rain Barrels do not need to be wash and are read to g
Why is storm water bad for the lakes-doesn't water help the lakes?
It isn't the water that falls directly from the sky onto the lakes that is the problem-it is the storm water that flows over impervious surfaces and ends up flowing into the lakes fast, hot, and dirty. It can pick up pet waste, fertilizers, pesticides, detergents, trash, invasive plant seeds, automotive liquids like motor oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, leaves, grass clippings, etc. All of these things have detrimental effects on the quality of the water in the lakes.
How much does the barrel weigh when it is full?
About 450 lbs., not counting the weight of the block base.
What is the price for a rain barrel?
Our Plastic Rain Barrels are on this page = >>Rain
Barrels
Internet RainWater Harvesting Publications
