Many have been asking about maintenance on the rain barrels.
Recommend using the rain water or put in buckets (watering cans) so there is space to capture more rain when it comes.
I will work on putting together infomation on how to:
Clean out the diverters and connect the rain barrels for spring rains.
Disconnect the rain barrels and get ready for winter (Freezing Temperatures that can damage your rain barrels).
Clean out some of the debris (dirt, roof granules, etc) in the bottom of the rain barrels.
Preparing for Spring Rains
Reconnecting the rain barrels by following four easy steps:
Check what the night temperatures will be for the next few weeks as you do not want to break the quarter valves or rain barrels.
Remove the easy access door on the diverter and clean out any debri. Make sure your gutters are clean and ready. Pour some water into the diverter where the door was. Put the access door back in place.
Remove the cap(s) on the diverter and put them in a safe place.
Make sure the valve is closed on the rain barrels and connect the black flexible pipes from the rain barrel(s) to the diverter.
Single Rain Barrel
Brown cutom built single rain barrel with one brown diverter.
Twin Rain Barrel
Custom built white rain barrels in tandem with one High Flow Quarter Valve with hose bibb on the bottom
Around the Corner
Twin Rain Barrels
Twin Rain Barrels
Our system allows you run the black flexible hoses around the corner from the downspot to your rain barrels.
Preparing for Winter
Four Easy Steps: Winterizing Rain Barrels
Remove the black flexible pipes from the diverter. Take the pipes and put them behind the rain barrels.
Put the caps on the diverter. If you can't find them, we can sell you two caps for $10, or you can check out this hack.
Using a garden hose, drain the barrels and water your bushes (and trees). To clean, I recommend putting a cap full of bleach down the black flexible pipe of each barrel when it is half full. Let the bleach sit for a few hours, and then drain the rest of the water from the barrel. You might want to collect some of the rainwater in empty jugs to use for watering your plants during the winter months.
Leave the valve open and put a heavy brick on each barrel, or put the rain barrel(s) inside for the winter.