Constructing Rain Barrels

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Constructing Rain Barrels

• Save the rain for a sunny day

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provider.
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What is a rain barrel?

• A rain barrel is a system that collects and
  stores rainwater from your roof that would
  otherwise be lost to runoff and diverted to storm
  drains and streams.
• - Environmental Protection Agency (2009)

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Benefits of a rain barrel

• Provides soft water free of chlorine and other
  harmful minerals for plants
• Could save as much as 1,300 gallons a month of
  water during peak water usage times
• A 1,000 square foot roof can collect 310 gallons
  of water in a half-inch rainfall.
• FREE source of water!
• Reduces the impact of runoff to streams
• Environmentally friendly

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provider.
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Tools needed

• Electric drill w/ Phillips head bit
• 7/8 paddle drill bit
• Tape measure
• Utility knife
• Pen or marker
• Scissors
• Crescent wrench

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Supplies needed

• Large plastic garbage can w/ lid (must be heavy
  duty!!)
• 2- ¾ hose bibbs
• ½ Riser Extender
• 2- 15 rubber o-rings
• 1 x ¾ x 1/8
• 2- ½ brass locknuts
• Brass hose adapter
• Size ¾ MH x ½ MIP

• Short piece of hose- female end needed
• Brass pipe nipple
• 1/2 MIP x 1 ½
• Fiberglass screening
• 10x 10
• 4- Self Drilling Sheet metal screws
• 8 x ¾
• 6 Chimney pipe trim collar

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We are an equal opportunity employer and program
provider.
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How to build your rain barrel

• Step 1 Measure 5 up the side of the barrel
  starting from the bottom and make a mark
• Using the mark as a center point, drill a hole
  through the side of the barrel using the 7/8
  paddle bit

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• Step 2 Screw a locknut onto one side of the
  threaded brass nipple
• Place a 15 rubber o-ring on the same side as the
  locknut

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• Step 3 Place the brass nipple with locknut and
  o-ring on the inside of the newly drilled hole in
  the barrel pushing the o-ring up against the side
  of the barrel
• Hold the hose bibb on the outside of the barrel
  over the hole and thread the two pieces together
  until snug

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• Step 4 Using the 7/8 paddle bit, drill another
  hole about an inch below the top lip of the barrel

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• Step 5 Thread the hose adapter into the riser
  extender and insert into the hole drilled in the
  barrel
• Place a rubber O-ring on the riser extender and
  thread on a brass locknut
• Using a crescent wrench, snug up the locknut
• Attach the short piece of hose to the hose adapter

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• Step 6 Place the chimney pipe trim collar on
  the center of the lid and trace the inner part of
  the ring
• Using the utility knife, carefully cut along the
  line you just traced

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• Step 7 Hold the piece of fiberglass screening
  over the chimney pipe trim collar
• Using the scissors, trim the screening to the
  same size as the chimney pipe trim collar

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• Step 8 Line up the hole in the lid, the piece
  of screen and the hole in the chimney pipe trim
  collar
• Using the drill with the phillips head bit, drill
  the four self tapping screws into the chimney
  pipe trim collar
• The screws should be evenly spaced around the
  trim collar

We are an equal opportunity employer and program
provider.
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Congratulations!!

• You have just made your very own rain barrel.

We are an equal opportunity employer and program
provider.
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Helpful Hints

• Placing the barrel up on bricks will allow you to
  screw a hose onto the hose bibb and not have an
  extreme angle that would restrict flow through
  the hose.
• The bricks used to elevate the barrel should be
  sturdy!
• Full barrels can weigh 400 pounds.
• You may want to drill a small hole in each of the
  handles of the lid so that you can tie the lid
  onto the barrel.
• Doing so will keep the lid secure and keep
  unwanted guests (including small children and
  animals) out of your rain barrel.

We are an equal opportunity employer and program
provider.
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Sources

• http//www.epa.gov/Region3/p2/what-is-rainbarrel.p
  df
• http//www.raingardens.org/Rain_Barrels.php
• http//www.cityofbremerton.com/content/sw_rainbarr
  elfacts.html
• http//egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/porta
  lContentItemAction.do?contentOID536925772contenT
  ypeNameCOC_EDITORIALtopChannelNameDeptblockNam
  eEnvironment2FIWantTocontextdeptchannelId0
  programId0entityNameEnvironmentdeptMainCatego
  ryOID

We are an equal opportunity employer and program
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