How to Install and Use a Rainbarrel

Rainbarrels are containers for collecting rainwater from rooftops. They allow you to save your stormwater runoff so that you can use it for things like irrigating landscaping plants. Using rainbarrels helps reduce amount of potable water needed for watering plants. It also adds capacity to city stormsewer systems by capturing part of the first flush of a rain event.
In this video, MWMO Training and Community Learning Specialist Abby Moore walks us through the basics of how to install and use a rainbarrel on a residential property.

[@creamcheese271]

I always wondered what people are supposed to do when they need to reinstall the downspout for the winter. Didn't realize it would be that simple. Thanks for explaining it.

[@KeeleySheridan]

I came to see the installation of the hose as well and a few ideas how to get the ground level for the patio pavers. Seems like that was all done ahead of time and she just put back the pavers where they were previously fitted because how often is the ground even exactly where you need it to be.

[@jcgoldstrom]

You should have shown the installation of the hose and overflow

[@irreverentjules-240]

I thought the same thing

[@terrysmith-zt8ls]

Instead of filling up spray can with hose just dip it in barrel, quicker.

[@misterlarryb]

Thanks for a good, clear video! That's a nice rain barrel - I like the screened-in top, and the overflow hose. Just learned something, I think - BMP? Best Management Practice? Thanks!

[@darrinlindsey]

I realize that this video waa made 3y ago. The way you stacked the paver blocks, right on the uneven ground, will eventually fail you. The last few years have been very dry, down here over the Minnesota/Iowa border. So, our ground hasnt been saturated with rain water for some time. The proper way to do this, would digging about a 6" deep hole, where the pavers will set. In the bottom of that hole, put "Locking" sand at about 3" depth. Then, top that off with some crushed rock (gravel, pea gravel, etc.) Make sure its packed in tight. (Tamp it). If you leave it like you have it, eventually the ground will get saturated with heavy rain. That would cause those pavers to start moving around in the mud. With this, i would also line the four sides of the hole with something to keep it from collapsing into the hole (Pond Liner Material, ground rated 2x6, cut metal pieces, etc). This would be an extra safety measure, to keep the heavy, saturated soil from collapsing in on the lighter, more porous, rock and sand. But, if the sand and crushed rock is packed in well enough, that could hold it stable. Why this works is, the crushed gravel and LOCKING sand, allow water to flow though it. So, no water will stay in that hole. The soil at the bottom of the hole is packed tight enough that it won't cause any movement. If i wasn't clear about something, please hit me back with questions. Thank you for the info on rain barrels.

[@ddgamble2199]

Great video, thanks. 1. If you have an old rubber boot, you can cut the toe out, and use that as your diverter. 2. What are those beautiful plants at the base of the rainbarrel?

[@mississippiwmo]

Thanks! The plants at the base of the rainbarrel are mostly ferns, with some lily of the valley mixed in.

[@MichaelAngelNow]

Hi. Do you have a video on how to connect two or more rainbarrels. I have the same barrels in the video.

[@mississippiwmo]

Not yet, but maybe later this summer!

[@kingofthehousemedia]

Good presentation and informative.

[@bend.3633]

Yeah, the stack of pavers doesn't look secure enough to hold 600 lbs. I would use cinder blocks.

[@ziptimizer]

It has been stable for many years now

[@rosswitte]

Can you just leave it out during the winter but leave the valve open?

[@mississippiwmo]

You can leave it outdoors, but you'll want to make sure it's disconnected from the downspout and that water can't enter it. The freeze-thaw cycle in late fall and early spring can result in water entering the rainbarrel and then freezing and causing damage. Even when the valve is left open, there's often still some water left at the bottom of the barrel (depending on your particular design/product). Also, the valve itself could become frozen, trapping water in the barrel.

[@rosswitte]

@@mississippiwmo I appreciate the answer.

[@afran014]

Turn the barrel upside down in the winter.

[@leelunk8235]

YOU DON'T LINK WHERE PEOPLE CAN PURCHASE IT? PLEASE LINK IT

[@mississippiwmo]

As a policy, we don't endorse products or companies, but this is the product shown in the video: www.amazon.com/FCMP-Outdoor-RC4000-BRN-Catcher-Barrel/dp/B00LIGPOW4

[@leelunk8235]

@@mississippiwmo OK

[@SamFreedom]

Some areas charge a tax or fee for rain barrels because they say you're still using municipal resources

[@kennethpuryear4214]

I was thinking about leaving it on as mentioned before open the valve. I say this because the rain in winter can be a lot. It will travel back to the foundation and or freeze where the barrel was

[@SableSunsets]

Drink every time she says rain barrel Good luck 😂

[@digagrave706]

My roommate had one and I had no idea what it was for! 😄 thanks for explaining it!

[@travisl5125]

Or some Jeffery Dahmer stuff ....😮

[@dnm6445]

why the hose in mine isnt taking water off after turning valve on?

[@LynnSeverson]

Where can I purchase that flat overflow hose you have? I can’t seem to find it. Thank you!

[@irreverentjules-240]

I have the same barrels and it came with it.

[@joey78221]

question have you ever tried installing rain barrel under valley on a roof I am sure you will get some spillage but 100 gallons is worth a try as opposed to not positioning a rain barrel at all? i understand the gutter installation but i have issues on the valley both sides of my house

[@mississippiwmo]

We haven't tried it personally, but if it works, it works! Any way of conveying runoff into the rainbarrel that works for you should be fine. The main point of gutters and downspouts is to convey runoff away from the foundation of your house and toward specific locations. If you don't need that, and you have another way of getting rainwater into the rainbarrel that works for you, go for it! You could also do a partial gutter install specifically to convey runoff from a certain part of your roof into the rainbarrel.

[@joey78221]

@@mississippiwmo thank you I saw another video this guy had rain barrel under valley catching rain and I'm like 🤔

[@EliseAngelofHealing]

What size hacksaw did you use? I never used a hacksaw. I am trying to get my new rainbarrel I received today up and running.

[@johnfrederick6213]

Great video and thank you for taking the time!😁 Question.... if we have to pack up the rain barrel from say, November through March to defer damage during freeze conditions, what can we substitute in it's place for the cold months? We plan on pre- filtering the water with a Lifestraw Community-grade filter first, then running it through an Alexapure unit to use it for drinking water.

[@mississippiwmo]

Thanks for you comment and your interest in rainbarrels. We don’t have experience using rainbarrels for drinking water or for cooking, so we don’t have any recommendations on how to catch water in cold months or best filtering methods. Sorry! Rainwater collected from a roof in an urban area like ours can catch pollution before it gets to the barrel from the air and from roofing materials, so it’s good to keep that in mind.

[@catirimba1]

Please, how did u install both hoses and other attachments? Thank u so much for your time!

[@mississippiwmo]

This particular rainbarrel features a spigot with a hose attachment. It comes with the rainbarrel. For DIY rainbarrels, you can purchase kits that let you drill a hole and install a spigot yourself.

[@ms.lizzypoulos9276]

Are mosquitos an issue?

[@mississippiwmo]

Good question! Not if your rainbarrel has a screen like the one in our video. But if you have an open-top rainbarrel or they can reach the water some other way, then they can lay their eggs in it.

[@smokcamp820]

Mine has a similar screen , does that mean mosquitoes can't get through the screen?

[@gsalleycat]

How do you clean a very dirty rain barrel? It was left out for 2 years and the water had a very nasty smell. Is chlorine bleach the best or only way to clean it?

[@mississippiwmo]

In that situation, your best bet might be a homemade bleach solution similar to the one recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for purifying drinking water in emergencies. (Search for “CDC bleach drinking water.”) You’re not drinking rainbarrel water, obviously, but bleach should help kill the microorganisms causing the smell. You’ll have to roll the barrel on the ground and slosh the solution for a few minutes to make sure the solution makes contact with all surfaces. If it doesn’t work, you could try a stronger bleach solution, like the one the CDC recommends to kill mold. (Search for “CDC bleach mold.”) Also, if you can physically scrub and rinse out the rainbarrel first, that would be ideal. Finally, as an alternative to bleach, you could look into homemade vinegar-based cleaning solutions, like these: www.hennepin.us/-/media/hennepinus/business/work-with-hennepin-county/environmental-literature/green-cleaning-recipe-guide.pdf

[@buckmurray2543]

I am looking to collect rainwater for extra drinking water during extreme conditions. Is this a good option? I imagine putting the collected water would be good after putting it through a good filter?

[@mississippiwmo]

Thanks for the question! Unfortunately, we don’t have any experience using rainbarrels for drinking water or for cooking, so we would be reluctant to make any recommendations on treatment or filtration methods. Rainwater collected from a roof can pick up a variety of pollutants before it enters the barrel, including chemicals from roofing materials, so keep that in mind.

[@bend.3633]

Not to mention there are forever chemicals already in the rain water. You'd need a metal roof, and a very good RO water filtration system I would imagine.

[@kathleensecules5591]

Where did you purchase your rain barrel?

[@mississippiwmo]

You can buy rainbarrels at most home centers. This particular model is available each spring through a sale run by the Recycling Association of Minnesota.

[@karab.8621]

Great video what do you do when you first buy them and they have that strong plastic smell to them? How do you get rid of it? As we are doing it for off grid lifestyle.

[@mississippiwmo]

Thanks for your question, Kara! Using a vinegar-based cleaning solution can help remove errant smells, including the plastic smell, over time. It may take a few applications and rinses. The smell will likely eventually go away on its own, too, though it can take a long time.

[@karab.8621]

@@mississippiwmo Thank you so much! 😊

[@azizurkhan1153]

Excellent vedio presentation.

[@ericeaton1552]

So you find the debris screen is sufficient to keep mosquitos out?

[@mississippiwmo]

In our experience, yes, as long as there are no holes/gaps in it. If your rainbarrel doesn't come with a screen, a typical insect/window screen (of the kind you would find at a home center) would also work.

[@darrinlindsey]

Maybe, you could plant some mosquito repelling plants around the barrel, to limit the amount of mosquitoes that want to try to get to the water.

[@carmalmayer8832]

Thanks for the information.

[@rubenbarrios7451]

We’re you get the screen?

[@mississippiwmo]

It came with the rainbarrel!

[@darkmattersproject2951]

Great video

[@adamgaming5181]

Can I use a table for a base for the water barrel??

[@mississippiwmo]

Hi Adam! A full rainbarrel can weigh up to 400 pounds or more, so you'll need to make sure that whatever you set it on can support that weight. Generally we recommend cinder blocks or concrete pavers. You can also buy rainbarrel stands online, and/or find instructions online on how to build your own DIY rainbarrel stand.

[@teddbobb4672]

Those pavers aren’t level, nor stable, do you realize the water weight? I would definitely secure that barrel to the house, I hate to see a neighborhood child or someone’s beloved pet get injured, or killed. You are not qualified to be giving advice.

[@nojo1710]

What brand of rain barrels were that? Thanks 👍

[@mississippiwmo]

The product shown in this video is called the "Rain Catcher."

[@kociarz46]

Excellent source for ponding water for mosquitoes

[@joey78221]

yes because mosquitos can teleport threw the screen she mentioned 5 times right sir