Every person in Colorado should read this about Rain Barrels

Rain barrels

With the state of Colorado legalizing the use of rain barrels, people are eager to learn more about them; How to set them up, their maintenance, where to get them and much more. First of all, rain barrels are essential when it comes to water conservation. Rain barrels are used mainly for rainwater collection and storage. Water collected from the rain is used as a supplement for the main supply. Other benefits of rain harvesting include mitigating floods and provision of water during the drought seasons. There is no doubt that this change will impact the state of Colorado greatly and positively.

However, there are some regulations that have been put in place to ensure safety with the use of these barrels. Since it does not rain frequently in Colorado, rain water has been found to be unhealthy to drink and for use in other indoor uses such as indoor washing, be it bathing, doing laundry or cleaning dishes and cooking. The water harvested should also not be used for water balloon fights or for kids’ paddling pool. This is due to the fact that dust, bird droppings and other impurities have accumulated on the rooftops. It has also been found that rainwater contains heavy metals such as copper, lead, cadmium and chromium.

Even though rain water has been prohibited for use in the above ways, it can, however, be used for Car washing, cleaning gardening tools, watering your garden and watering your lawn. This regulation is so as to safeguard your health. It has also been recommended that one should place a first flush device into the rain barrels. This helps avoid water containing bird droppings, leaves or any other impurities from the rooftops from entering the barrel. By doing this, you make sure that your rain barrel stays longer and does not clog.

While still on the safety topic, there is a major concern that everyone is worried about, Mosquitoes. Rain barrels provide a proper breeding ground for mosquitoes if not well maintained. To prevent the barrels from becoming a health hazard by offering a nest for the mosquitoes, one should purchase a barrel with a sealable lid. Most local or online stores, fortunately, have these types of rain barrels. Another measure that should be adopted is regularly emptying the barrel, say once every month. In case you will be away for a while, the downspout should be disconnected from the rain barrel.

Now that you know about the safety measures, where can one get quality rain barrels that are affordable and can last longer? There are several companies and stores that have the best rain barrels. Some of these stores include Ace hardware, Lowe’s store, home depot, Murdoch’s online store and Amazon. These stores offer the best deals when it comes to rain barrels. BlueBarrel Company is known as the biggest manufacturer for recycled barrels. Besides giving barrels a second chance, the BlueBarrel Company also helps you install the barrels and transform them into rainwater catchment systems. There are also some garden stores that sell rain barrels.

Before purchase, it is good to know about the new Colorado law. The law allows only two rain barrels with a combined capacity of 110 gallons in each household. The law also allows anyone with a house which is less than four units to use the rain barrels, however, there is no permit required

So what is needed for the installation process?

Setting up the barrels requires nothing more other than gutters for water collection. One should also make sure to buy the right size of downspout for the gutters. For the rain barrel to function better, it should be placed high above the ground on a raised platform. This way, you can protect the barrel from damage from moisture.

The installation process is a simple one. It involves the following steps:

1. Choosing the location for the barrel
2. Place the barrel on a raised surface for the reasons explained above
3. After making sure that the gutters are in place, install the downspout and then do a test run.

The maintenance tips for the rain barrels are also quite simple as well. The barrels mainly require proper storage during the different seasons and regular cleaning to avoid contamination and clogging.

The water challenges facing the people of Colorado will no longer be a problem. The barrels will conserve the rivers, streams, lakes and other main water supplies. What more could the people of Colorado want? Having the barrels legalized is the greatest step to conserve water. You will no longer have to use the municipal water to wash your cars, water your garden or even flush the toilet. Rain barrels will save many families a lot of cash that would have been incurred if they used the municipal water for these uses. It is a strong belief that this information will help you to make this transition.

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