Rain barrels capture water from a roof and hold it for later use such as on lawns gardens or indoor plants.
Rain barrel roof runoff.
For metal roofs the galvanized kind are prone to release of the heavy metal zinc.
Also outlined are the steps to build your own rain barrel to collect water from your roof and downspout for all outdoor uses like watering and cleaning.
Rain barrels rain barrels make collecting roof runoff convenient.
The first flush water is the initial rainwater that drains off an impervious surface such as a driveway parking lot or roof and has been shown to have the highest levels of contaminants.
Collecting roof runoff in rain barrels reduces the amount of water that flows from your property.
The problem is that there has been little direct research using runoff to water edibles and checking them for contamination.
I was looking around and found that of the research that has been done when it comes to rain barrels and other catchments that the water coming off the roof is dangerous.
It s a great way to conserve water and it s free water for use in your landscape.
The system outlined below will walk you through the steps of determining your rain barrel sizes based on average roof runoff.
Many roofs are asphalt which are loaded with tar zinc and anti fungal agents.
For sample purposes a 55 gallon barrel will be used.