Rainwater Collection 101

You may have seen our photos before on Facebook of a rain water collection system we helped install for one of our clients. Rainwater collection can be a great option for many homeowners, so today we’re going to talk about some rainwater collection basics so you can decide if its a good option for you and your family. We’re getting lots of rain so far this spring, so it may be time to make all that extra rain work for you!

Rainwater Collection Basics

Rainwater can be a renewable, sustainable, and high quality water source for you, your family, and your home if you know how to properly harvest it. Rainwater collection is a technique for collecting, storing, and using rainwater for landscaping needs and other things. Generally, when it rains, the water simply runs off your roof, through your gutters, and into the street. With rainwater collection, the rainwater is collected in some type of water storage tank and saved for later. Though this may seem like a new idea, its a process that has been in use for thousands of years! It can be implemented for individual homes or on a larger scale for parks, schools, or other commercial buildings.

Rainwater Collection Benefits

There are several benefits of collecting rainwater. You’ll have less flooding and erosion on your property by reducing rainwater runoff during a storm. You can also reduce your water bills because you won’t have to pay to use water to water your lawn. You can also use the collected rainwater to flush your toilets, wash your clothes, and wash your cars. If using the collected rainwater to water your lawn and garden, you may notice better growth. Stored rainwater doesn’t have any pollutants or man made contaminants in it, making it much better for your lawn and plants.

How It Works

The basic idea of a rainwater collection system is to divert rainwater from a catchment surface (such as your roof) through a distribution system (your gutters and downspouts) and into a storage tank. Your tank can be above ground or under ground and can be made from a variety of materials including plastic and metal. Your storage tank should be completely covered to avoid mosquito breeding and to reduce evaporation and contamination. Rainwater collection systems do require basic maintenance and cleaning to keep the system clean and safe.

Rainwater collection can be a great option for you to reduce your utility bills and your carbon footprint! After reading our rainwater collection basics, if you have more questions or if you’d like to implement a rainwater collection system in your home call the professionals at Masterflo Plumbing today at (678) 822-7095. We can also help revamp an old system or maintain your current one!