How Much Rain Water Does A Roof Collect

Rainwater Harvesting 101

Got a Question nigh Rainwater Harvesting? Ask it hither.

What is Rainwater Harvesting?

Rainwater harvesting is collecting the run-off from a structure or other impervious surface in social club to store it for later utilise. Traditionally, this involves harvesting the rain from a roof. The rain will collect in gutters that channel the water into downspouts and and so into some sort of storage vessel. Rainwater collection systems can be as unproblematic as collecting rain in a pelting butt or equally elaborate as harvesting rainwater into large cisterns to supply your entire household demand.

The idea of rainwater harvesting usually conjures up images of an old farm cistern or thoughts of developing countries. The reality is that rainwater harvesting is becoming a viable alternative for supplying our households and businesses with water. It'south not only for the farm anymore! There are many countries such as Federal republic of germany and Australia where rainwater harvesting is a norm. Due to the green building movement, you will be seeing rainwater harvesting systems become more popular hither in America.

The collection of rainwater is known by many names throughout the world. It ranges from rainwater collection to rainwater harvesting to rainwater catchment. In improver, terms such as roofwater collection or rooftop water drove is likewise used in other countries.

Nosotros believe that rainwater harvesting is a viable engineering science in an urban setting. All that is necessary to take advantage of this resources is to capture the complimentary water falling on your roof and direct it to a rainwater storage tank. Past doing this, you tin can take control of your water supply and replace all or at least a substantial portion of your water needs. Rainwater harvesting systems can be configured to supply your whole house and/or your landscape needs.

What are the Benefits of Rainwater Drove?

Rainwater is a relatively clean and absolutely free source of h2o
Yous have full command over your water supply (ideal for cities with water restrictions)
It is socially acceptable and environmentally responsible
It promotes self-sufficiency and helps conserve water
Rainwater is better for landscape plants and gardens because it is non chlorinated
It reduces stormwater runoff from homes and businesses
It tin can solve the drainage problems on your property while providing you with free h2o
It uses simple technologies that are inexpensive and piece of cake to maintain
It can be used every bit a main source of water or equally a back up source to wells and municipal water
The system can be easily retrofitted to an existing construction or built during new home structure
System are very flexible and tin can be modular in nature, allowing expansion, reconfiguration, or relocation, if neccesary
It can provide an excellent back-up source of water for emergencies

Not enough benefits for yous? Discover more than rainwater harvesting advantages.

Why is Rainwater Harvesting Important?

Rainwater harvesting is important for several reasons but one of the biggest is the fact that we are tapping out water conservation gains inside our homes and then we need to beginning looking outdoors for more opportunities.

The post-obit graph shows the gains that have been achieved with our indoor water fixtures through the combination of governmental standards and innovation by fixture companies. Equally you can meet, we don't have much more room to become in terms of achieving more efficiency gains with our indoor fixtures. What'southward next… the 0.ii gallon per affluent toilet? Probably not!

This phenomenom is known as the law of diminishing returns. Then where will the next revolution in water conservation take place? We believe nosotros offering services in the areas where this revolution will accept place.

What are the uses of nerveless rainwater?

You can essentially use rainwater anywhere you use tap h2o. The idea of using drinking h2o to flush our toilets and water our lawns is wasteful and irresponsible, especially in light of population growth and h2o shortages across the country. Rainwater collection is a technique to green your home and to lessen your environmental footprint.

There are basically three areas where rainwater tin be used:

Irrigation use
Indoor, not-drink use
Whole business firm, potable use

Hither are some ideas for specific uses of rainwater:

Hand h2o your lawn and garden
Connect rainwater collection system to irrigation/sprinkler organization
Wash your vehicles
Wash your pets
Refill your fountains and fish ponds
Refill your swimming pool
Replace the use of tap water with rainwater to wash your driveways and sidewalks (if you don't use a broom)
Employ it for all indoor not-drinkable fixtures (toilets and clothes washer)
Use it for all potable needs when properly filtered and disinfected
Use information technology for industrial processes instead of municipally treated water

So but how much rain can I collect?

The amount of rainfall that yous tin collect is governed by the following formula:

1″ of rain x i sq. ft. = 0.623 gallons

Piece of cake to Call back Formula: 1″ of rainfall over 1,000 sf will yield 623 gallons

To calculate the corporeality of rainwater you lot tin can collect, you need to know your annual average precipitation for your expanse. Yous tin use the precipitation map below to find an approximate corporeality for your surface area.

How to harvest rainwater

So you're convinced that you want to offset collecting rainwater at your house. Below you volition find the resources to educate yourself on the best method for harvesting rainwater in your state of affairs. You volition as well find information virtually the basic components of a rainwater drove system. Even though rainwater catchment is an old engineering, there have been many improvements over time through product innovations.

What are the dissimilar methods to collect rainwater?

The only thing that differs in the post-obit methods is the calibration of the system. They all follow the same principles but differ on aesthetics and actual water conservation effectiveness. Click the pictures for a closer look.

rain barrel

Rain barrels can get you started

Rain Barrels

This method is the most common and one that many people are familiar with. This involves installing a barrel at a gutter downspout to collect rainwater. The actual barrel may be a recycled barrel or a new commercially available rain barrel.
Pros:

Hands implemented by anyone at whatsoever residence
Barrels are readily available in your customs or at diverse stores & websites
Barrels don't take upwards much infinite so they can fit into whatever situation

Cons:

Chapters is mostly only fifty to 100 gallons
Easily overflows and wastes drove opportunities

dry rainwater collection system

Moving up in the world...

"Dry out" Organisation

This method is a variation of a rain butt set-up, simply it involves a larger storage book. Substantially, the collection pipe "drys" later each rain event since it empties directly into the top of the tank.
Pros:

Can store a large amount of rainwater
Swell for climates where rainfall happens with infrequent, larger storm events
Tin be inexpensive to implement
Less complicated system so maintenance is easier

Cons:

The storage tank must be located next to your house

wet rainwater harvesting system

Now you are talking!

"Moisture" Organization

This method involves locating the collection pipes underground in order to connect multiple downspouts from different gutters. The rainwater volition fill up the hole-and-corner pipage and the water will ascent in the vertical pipes until it spills into the tank. The downspouts and underground collection pipe must accept water-tight connections. The elevation of the tank inlet must exist beneath the lowest gutter on the house.
Pros:

The ability to collect from your unabridged collection surface
The ability to collect from multiple gutters and downspouts
The tank tin can be located away from your business firm

Cons:

More expensive to implement due to surreptitious pipage
Sufficient divergence between gutters and tank inlet must exist bachelor

How exercise I create a complete rainwater collection system?

The image below shows a complete rainwater collection system. While some of the components shown are absolutely necessary, non all of the components listed are required. Although, all of these components will help create a harvesting system that is highly functional and nearly maintenance-free.

It all starts with yourROOF SURFACE. Most all roof surfaces are fine for rainwater harvesting.
Your gutters should take some sort of GUTTER PROTECTION SCREENINThou in order to continue large debris from inbound the gutters.
Yous can collect rainwater from any type and shape of GUTTER. Yous do not need a special gutter for harvesting rainwater.
An additional filtration opportunity is with the installation of a Rain Head (downspout filter) that allows for a bit of self-cleaning filtration options.
A Commencement-FLUSH DIVERTER helps to foreclose the first flush of contaminated rainwater from entering the tank.
Another rainwater filtration opportunity is with a TANK SCREEN that is installed on the tank entry point. It likewise helps to keep mosquitoes and pests out.
RAINWATER TANKS come in all sorts of sizes and materials. Click to acquire more about all the various types of rainwater harvesting tanks bachelor on the market.
Install an INSECT PROOF FLAP VALVE on the end of the overflow piping to continue mosquitoes and pests out.
An Auto-Make full Organization can exist installed to proceed a minimum amount of water in the tank at all times. This is very important for rainwater tanks that are continued to automatic irrigation systems in order to foreclose the pump from running dry.
Select a PUMP Arrangement to provide pressurized rainwater to distribute the rainwater easier or to connect to an inground irrigation arrangement.
Install an IRRIGATION FILTER inline subsequently the pump in gild to catch any large debris that may have gotten through the pump.
A WATER LEVEL INDICATOR can exist helpful with monitoring the water usage from the tank. Those are available in unproblematic gauge tank options along with wireless digital options.