Fiskars Rain Barrel Systems
Start Small: Rain Barrels
If you're interested in rainwater harvesting and would like to give it a try without spending a lot of money, rain barrels are a great place to start.
Rain barrels are available from a number of manufacturers. Fiskars, an international maker of quality home and garden equipment, has a line of rain barrels for those looking to lower their water bills a bit by using rain water for home gardening.
Why Rain Barrels?
Harvesting rainwater in any amount, even in the relatively small amount of water that home rain barrels can hold, is beneficial for a couple of reasons.
First, residential water usage, especially outside watering, is a huge drain on our country's water supplies. In many areas of the nation, underground and surface sources of water are being depleted much faster than nature can replenish them. This is leading to continued and worsening water shortages. Long periods of drought conditions only makes the problem worse. Collecting water when it does rain for use during dry conditions is a simple solution, and it is free.
Collecting some of the water that runs off a home's roof also helps to cut down on storm water runoff, when water runs off roofs and paved areas into storm drains. This can overwhelm municipal water treatment plants and result in sewage spills into waterways.
Fiskars Rain Barrel Systems
The Fiskars rain barrel system products are perfect for those looking to collect enough water to irrigate a small flower or vegetable garden. Fiskars has created rain barrels that are easy to install and use. They're available in neutral colors to blend into your home's exterior and nature itself.
Why the Fiskars Rain Barrel System is Better
The key to Fiskars rain barrel system is their diverter kit, included with most Fiskars rain barrels. The diverter channels water from your home's gutter downspout into the rain barrel. Once the barrel fills, the diverter then sends the water down the rest of the downspout. The diverters are designed to work with standard 2" x 3" or 3" x 4" downspouts.
The Fiskars Rain Barrel Line
Fiskars Saguaro: This 26.5 gallon container is the smallest in the Fiskars line. It's perfect for condos or apartments. The Saguaro is made from UV treated polyethylene with a snap on cover. it has a threaded spigot for attaching a garden hose, has a built-in screen to keep debris out of the barrel, and has an overflow hose to direct water away when the barrel is full.
Fiskars Holden: The Holden is a 48 gallon rain barrel using the Diverter system. It features a snap-on cover, threaded spigot for garden hose attachment, and an integrated base with clearance for filling watering cans.
Fiskars Salsa I: The Salsa I is a 58 gallon container. Its features include a snap-on cover, a threaded spigot for connecting a hose, and an integrated base for filling watering cans. The Salsa I has a flat back for positioning the barrel comfortably against the house, saving space. The Salsa I is upgradeable to the DiverterPro system (see info below).
Fiskars Salsa II: The top of the Fiskars rain barrel line is the Salsa II. It holds 58 gallons of water. It comes with the DiverterPro system, which has an improved water capture rate during heavy rains and is easier to clean and winterize. The Salsa II also features a removable filter to screen out debris and a clear door to see if the container needs cleaning. The Salsa II also has a flat back to fit snugly against the home.
How Much Water Will My Roof Give Me?
How much water comes off your roof obviously depends on the size of the roof and the amount of rain mother nature provides. But as a general rule, just a little bit of rain will give you a lot of water. A 500 square foot roof will fill a 52 gallon rain barrel with only two tenths of an inch of rain. Scaling up, a 1000 square foot roof and one inch of rain can provide 600 gallons of water!
Additional Water Collecting Capacity
If you've fallen in love with collecting rainwater and find that you need more than one barrel can collect, Fiskars has an available Rain Barrel Connector Kit which allows you to link multiple Fiskars Rain Barrels together for added rainwater storage.
Green Home Source advocates the use of rainwater harvesting products of any size in order to reduce a home's use of natural resources, of which water is perhaps the most important. Protecting and conserving our planet's finite water supply is a hallmark of any green home design.
Interested if finding out more on Rain Water Harvesting? Click the like to read our very interesting and informative article which will get you on the road to collection of this free resource.
Visit the official Fiskars Rain Barrel website.
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