Rain Barrel Roof Runoff
For sample purposes a 55 gallon barrel will be used.
Rain barrel roof runoff. The problem is that there has been little direct research using runoff to water edibles and checking them for contamination. Many roofs are asphalt which are loaded with tar zinc and anti fungal agents. Collecting roof runoff in rain barrels reduces the amount of water that flows from your property. I was looking around and found that of the research that has been done when it comes to rain barrels and other catchments that the water coming off the roof is dangerous.
It s a great way to conserve water and it s free water for use in your landscape. For metal roofs the galvanized kind are prone to release of the heavy metal zinc. Also outlined are the steps to build your own rain barrel to collect water from your roof and downspout for all outdoor uses like watering and cleaning. Rain barrels rain barrels make collecting roof runoff convenient.
As rain barrels proliferate and climate change squeezes summer water supplies there s certain to be increasing interest in using roof runoff to grow vegetables and fruits. If you re thinking about buying a rain barrel look for one with a first flush feature which stores the first five to 10 gallons. The system outlined below will walk you through the steps of determining your rain barrel sizes based on average roof runoff.