Rainwater Harvesting Winterization

[@QuebecoisSti]

Instead of stopping harvesting during winter, if you have space available inside, you could install few barrel or even tote and send tubing towards the inside. When some days are warmer the snow/ice melting can get some water. I've done this with 3x tote tank in a basement without any heating in the room nor the tank and nothing froze. I was surprise, I just kept the tank maximum 50% capacity or so so if they freeze they would be easily expand without breaking. During winter here we had some days up to -30C

[@greatescapefarms]

That sounds like an awesome solution! I only use mine for my nursery and only use the water in non-freezing weather, so this method works for me. I can certainly understand that many folks would want to use the water year round.

[@dabbydoodle4801]

Just wrap them with Reflectix insulation and put a large black plastic bag over it and bungee cord around it top and bottom portion. This rids you of algae in warm weather seasons. In winter, wrap insulation covered in plastic too top and bottom. Always stack on blocks but put a piece of flat treated wood over blocks so blocks dont wear a hole in the tank bottom

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks!

[@spicano6309]

I'm designing my system for zone 6 (SE Michigan, temperatures near 0), and have a question: Instead of a parallel Y-gutter-switch setup, what if before winter: [1] remove screen from leaf eater, [2] unscrew base plate and remove contents (ball, leaker, filter, end-cap) of the first flush system, [3] attach the now-opened end of first flush into corrugated pipe away from your structure? Wondering if you may have considered this as a "simplification"?

[@happyhippr]

Thanks for sharing this! looking into building one myself

[@greatescapefarms]

Good Luck

[@bonnierussell7824]

This is so cool! But what happens if SHTF in the winter time and you had to dump all your water?

[@greatescapefarms]

I actually dump all of my water every winter. We go below freezing and I have to. In the mid-Atlantic where I'm at we get plenty of water in winter. Our drought time is in the summer.

[@greatescapefarms]

Sorry - I just re-read your question. In a SHTF situation I have a well with back up generators. If those are down for some reason we have a several ponds and many water filtration systems including Berkey's. We also have a seasonal stream that runs from fall to the beginning of summer even in dry years. We have other protocols we could implement if needed.

[@AgoristsAxioms]

Would pipes burst if you don't winterize? What's the worst that could happen if you want to collect periodically melting snow?

[@jasonroberts9788]

So your "winterization" process is to drain the totes and drain the lines. Check. What about for people who use the rainwater for drinking and home use?

[@windwalkerproductions]

Have you had any issues with the main shut-off valve (on plastic totes) bursting in the winter?

[@greatescapefarms]

No, I usually leave them open so no water builds up in them.

[@mihaigeorge1149]

How resistant are they? The IBC totes, I have the 1000 liters ones, I plan to use them for a rainwater collection system. Summer temperatures peaks at about 45 °Celsius ( 113 °Fahrenheit) in summer and -30 °Celsius(-22 °Fahrenheit ) in winter. I had some plastic barrel that cracked in those winter temperatures, and I don't want a repeat. I won't keep water in them during the winter but they will be out in the yard since I got 8 of them.

[@potawatadingdong]

I think they'll be fine. They're used to ship chemicals in so they need to be pretty sturdy. My company stores oil in them and they held up in the Texas heat just fine. Also some pretty cold winters. They've been out there for about 10 years.

[@greatescapefarms]

They can handle the heat with no problem. They can handle the cold with no problem if not touched. The plastic will be very brittle at -30C, so as long as nothing hits them, they should be ok. By the way - WOW that is a huge temperature swing. Must be desert?

[@mihaigeorge1149]

@@greatescapefarms country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, and has its opening to the Black Sea

[@greatescapefarms]

@@mihaigeorge1149 Sounds beautiful.

[@adamwpg]

@@greatescapefarms this is exactly the question I had. Just got my first IBC this summer and was worried about the winter. I’m in 3a in Canada which has the same temperature swings. Good to know it should be ok

[@joebobjenkins7837]

Can you fill the totes with sand to make a biosand filter?

[@greatescapefarms]

I suppose you can. Biosand filters is not my area of expertise.

[@sirtimatbob]

@@greatescapefarms Yo you should check out the aqsolutions org website and the charcoal water filter system documents listed there. You can make one of those water purification systems for less than $300 from local material wherever you live. Hope that info is relevant for you.

[@greatescapefarms]

@@sirtimatbob Thank you for the great resource!

[@AgoristsAxioms]

What's the worst that could happen if you don't winterize?

[@greatescapefarms]

If you live in an area that goes into the 20's it could burst every one of your PVC fittings.

[@greatescapefarms]

The PVC fittings above ground and exposed to 20's or below.

[@AgoristsAxioms]

@@greatescapefarms that applies to me then. Thank you! Never worked with PVC before. Just bought 2 totes

[@greatescapefarms]

@@AgoristsAxioms I have heard of people that need water in the winter putting a stock tank heater in the IBC tote and some kind of heat tape along the PVC that keeps the pipes from freezing. I'm using mine on plants so I don't need the water when it is freezing out.

[@davidsirois9164]

Why are you filtering rain water for the garden?

[@greatescapefarms]

The water operates a plant propagation system that uses mist heads. Any debris, even as small as pollen, will clog the mist heads and cause the system not to work.

[@jimh712]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks!

[@joebobjenkins7837]

What zone are you in?

[@greatescapefarms]

The farm is in zone 6A.

[@vicktdock]

Never have seen metal walls on a building run horizontally? What gives?

[@greatescapefarms]

Hmm. All of the metal buildings in WV have the ribs on the walls run horizontally.