Off the Urban Grid

Fixes for Common Rain Barrel Problems

A rain barrel is a great way to conserve water while providing ample irrigation for a garden or backyard orchard. But sometimes rain barrels develop issues. Today we’ll look at a few solutions for common problems.

Fixes for Common Rain Barrel Problems

• Mosquitoes hovering around the rain barrel –A mosquito donut (you can get these online or at local garden centers) is an easy fix.  Toss one on the water’s surface, and it’ll keep bugs from breeding for a month or so.  You can thread a string through the center hole to secure it to the rim of the barrel.
• Leaves and twigs getting stuck inside — Consider fixing a mesh screen over the end of the drainpipe that sticks into your barrel (rinse it out about once a month so water won’t back up behind it).  Also make sure you’ve got a screen that fits on the barrel’s opening, and ensure it doesn’t have any holes or snafus that need to be fixed.
• Water is draining slowly or not at all from the bottom spigot — Make sure your rain barrel is on a raised platform so gravity will work with you, helping water to drain out (try raising the platform a bit if you’ve already got one in place).  Also get rid of any debris around the interior opening.
• Algae is growing on the surface of the water — To keep your rain barrel clean, it’s a good idea to empty it completely once a month and clean it with a plastic brush.  To get rid of algae, though, you can add one or two caps full of bleach.  Let the water sit for a few days before using it on your plants (you might not want to do this if your water feeds a vegetable garden, but it should be fine for landscaping foliage).

Source: April 2009 issue of This Old House

Tags: rain barrels