Common Rain Barrel Questions
Are the barrels new?
These are USED barrels. They will have some scuff marks and scratches from shipping and handling. Each barrel is inspected, cleaned, and modified. There are no significant scuffs or scratches which would harm the structural integrity of the barrel and lead to any leakage. The spigot is installed on the nicer looking face of the barrel.
How are the lids held onto the barrel?
The lids screw on and hold the cap in place in some models. In others, the lids and screen are held on with a galvanized (won't rust) lock ring.
Why are there so many holes in the lids?
Multiple holes in the cap allow water from a downspout to enter the barrel. This would be the standard installation method.
Why is there a screen in the lid?
The screen is to keep mosquitoes and debris out while letting the water flow freely into the barrel.
What kind of spigots and fittings are used on the barrels?
Acetal plastic spigot for the faucet and poly fittings for the linking and overflow hoses.
How much water pressure does a rain barrel have?
To water from your rain barrel you can use a garden hose, landscape tubing (just drill holes into the tubing near the plant) or drip tubing. You will not be able to run a sprinkler or a soaker hose from the rain barrel. But as long as you are not trying to go up hill you can go any distance from the barrel you need to, water seeks its own level, so it will always be flowing to the lowest level the hose is at.
You can water hanging pots with a garden hose. Start with the hose on the ground then lift it to the plant, it will have enough pressure to water 2-3 pots. You need to lower the hose to get the pressure back to water additional hanging pots.
How do I maintain/clean the rain barrels?
It is advised to clean them annually, a good Rain Barrel Maintenance guide is provided here.
Do I need to remove the fittings for winter?
The barrels are meant to be left outside during winter. You do not need to remove the fittings for winter. Plastic fittings are used because brass and steel do not interface well with plastic barrels. These items expand and contract at a different rate, which is the major cause of other manufacturer's barrels leaking in a short period of time. The only thing you need to do to prepare for the winter season is to drain all the water out, remove the linking fitting cap, and open the spigot so water drains during the winter. (If the barrel fills with water and freezes it will crack).
What is the purpose of the linking and overflow fittings?
The linking fitting allows the user to connect multiple barrels together for even more free water. The overflow fitting allows the homeowner to direct water away from their home after the barrel is full by attaching a hose to the overflow fitting. The hose should be directed away from the foundation of the home or structure where the rain barrel is installed.
Can I paint the barrels?
The barrels are not painted. If you want to change or enhance the color of your barrel there are two products recommended. The first is Ace Hardware brand spray paint, and the second is Krylon brand spray paint. Both do an excellent job on plastic and will not peel for years to come.
How do I decide what size barrel to order and where to place it?
Where is the best location to collect the water from - a tool shed roof can work as well as a house roof to collect water. A 4' X 8' sheet of plywood that receives ¼" of rain will fill a 55-gallon barrel. Then look at the surrounding area. If you want to put your rain barrel around the corner from where the downspout is, a flex hose can be installed to direct water from the downspout around the corner to the barrel.
Is there any assembly required?
All fittings are shipped inside the barrel and include instructions to install them into the predrilled and threaded holes.
What installation is required to attach the rain barrel to my downspout?
You should build your barrel up about 12" off the ground using the available accessory Pedestal Riser or you can use cinderblock or old landscape timbers-anything that will hold the filled barrel weight of approximately 600 pounds.
Basic installation requires you to cut the gutter 8 inches above the top of the barrel and attach the downspout elbow so it dispenses the water directly into the top of the barrel. Then attach a garden hose to the overflow fitting on the top section of the barrel so when it is full the additional water can be diverted away from the foundation of your house and keep the water level below the screening. If you have gutters that go directly into the ground use the Automatic Diverter to hook up your barrel.
You can link 2 or more barrels together using a Linking Hose. All barrels have a linking hose fitting on the bottom section, just unscrew the cap and screw on the linking hose. All the barrels will fill with water with only 1 downspout being modified and significantly reduce the amount of water going out the overflow.
These are USED barrels. They will have some scuff marks and scratches from shipping and handling. Each barrel is inspected, cleaned, and modified. There are no significant scuffs or scratches which would harm the structural integrity of the barrel and lead to any leakage. The spigot is installed on the nicer looking face of the barrel.
How are the lids held onto the barrel?
The lids screw on and hold the cap in place in some models. In others, the lids and screen are held on with a galvanized (won't rust) lock ring.
Why are there so many holes in the lids?
Multiple holes in the cap allow water from a downspout to enter the barrel. This would be the standard installation method.
Why is there a screen in the lid?
The screen is to keep mosquitoes and debris out while letting the water flow freely into the barrel.
What kind of spigots and fittings are used on the barrels?
Acetal plastic spigot for the faucet and poly fittings for the linking and overflow hoses.
How much water pressure does a rain barrel have?
To water from your rain barrel you can use a garden hose, landscape tubing (just drill holes into the tubing near the plant) or drip tubing. You will not be able to run a sprinkler or a soaker hose from the rain barrel. But as long as you are not trying to go up hill you can go any distance from the barrel you need to, water seeks its own level, so it will always be flowing to the lowest level the hose is at.
You can water hanging pots with a garden hose. Start with the hose on the ground then lift it to the plant, it will have enough pressure to water 2-3 pots. You need to lower the hose to get the pressure back to water additional hanging pots.
How do I maintain/clean the rain barrels?
It is advised to clean them annually, a good Rain Barrel Maintenance guide is provided here.
Do I need to remove the fittings for winter?
The barrels are meant to be left outside during winter. You do not need to remove the fittings for winter. Plastic fittings are used because brass and steel do not interface well with plastic barrels. These items expand and contract at a different rate, which is the major cause of other manufacturer's barrels leaking in a short period of time. The only thing you need to do to prepare for the winter season is to drain all the water out, remove the linking fitting cap, and open the spigot so water drains during the winter. (If the barrel fills with water and freezes it will crack).
What is the purpose of the linking and overflow fittings?
The linking fitting allows the user to connect multiple barrels together for even more free water. The overflow fitting allows the homeowner to direct water away from their home after the barrel is full by attaching a hose to the overflow fitting. The hose should be directed away from the foundation of the home or structure where the rain barrel is installed.
Can I paint the barrels?
The barrels are not painted. If you want to change or enhance the color of your barrel there are two products recommended. The first is Ace Hardware brand spray paint, and the second is Krylon brand spray paint. Both do an excellent job on plastic and will not peel for years to come.
How do I decide what size barrel to order and where to place it?
Where is the best location to collect the water from - a tool shed roof can work as well as a house roof to collect water. A 4' X 8' sheet of plywood that receives ¼" of rain will fill a 55-gallon barrel. Then look at the surrounding area. If you want to put your rain barrel around the corner from where the downspout is, a flex hose can be installed to direct water from the downspout around the corner to the barrel.
Is there any assembly required?
All fittings are shipped inside the barrel and include instructions to install them into the predrilled and threaded holes.
What installation is required to attach the rain barrel to my downspout?
You should build your barrel up about 12" off the ground using the available accessory Pedestal Riser or you can use cinderblock or old landscape timbers-anything that will hold the filled barrel weight of approximately 600 pounds.
Basic installation requires you to cut the gutter 8 inches above the top of the barrel and attach the downspout elbow so it dispenses the water directly into the top of the barrel. Then attach a garden hose to the overflow fitting on the top section of the barrel so when it is full the additional water can be diverted away from the foundation of your house and keep the water level below the screening. If you have gutters that go directly into the ground use the Automatic Diverter to hook up your barrel.
You can link 2 or more barrels together using a Linking Hose. All barrels have a linking hose fitting on the bottom section, just unscrew the cap and screw on the linking hose. All the barrels will fill with water with only 1 downspout being modified and significantly reduce the amount of water going out the overflow.
What is the difference between the Regular and Wide-Overflow barrels?
Physically the barrels are the same, but have different overflow fittings: The regular barrel is popular and has a small regular garden hose attachment fitting at the top for outflow. The wide overflow differs by having a larger 2" outflow hose included, which connects to a larger PVC pipe.
Overflow (filling up and flowing out the top lid) occurs when the downspout provides input into the barrel faster than the barrel has an outflow. Generally, overflow is to be avoided near structure foundations. However, overflow issues depend on the severity and frequency of rain events, frequency of rain barrel water use, proximity of the barrel to structures, the water catchment area that directs to the downspout, and how the rain barrel receives water from the downspout. General climate and installation considerations are outlined on our Rain Barrel Information page.
If overflow is not an issue at your placement site, then the regular barrel is sufficient, but again this is usually not ideal near a house foundation.
So, to avoid the barrel filling to the point of overflow, the options are:
Physically the barrels are the same, but have different overflow fittings: The regular barrel is popular and has a small regular garden hose attachment fitting at the top for outflow. The wide overflow differs by having a larger 2" outflow hose included, which connects to a larger PVC pipe.
Overflow (filling up and flowing out the top lid) occurs when the downspout provides input into the barrel faster than the barrel has an outflow. Generally, overflow is to be avoided near structure foundations. However, overflow issues depend on the severity and frequency of rain events, frequency of rain barrel water use, proximity of the barrel to structures, the water catchment area that directs to the downspout, and how the rain barrel receives water from the downspout. General climate and installation considerations are outlined on our Rain Barrel Information page.
If overflow is not an issue at your placement site, then the regular barrel is sufficient, but again this is usually not ideal near a house foundation.
So, to avoid the barrel filling to the point of overflow, the options are:
- Install a Downspout diverter with a regular barrel, which will fill the barrel slower but ensure the barrel doesn't overflow.
- Install a wide overflow barrel, often used when the downspout simply directs into the top lid of the barrel. The larger diameter outflow hose will prevent the barrel from overflowing out the top lid in most rain events. You can use a downspout diverter with a wide overflow barrel, but the diverter reduces the need for the wide overflow. No matter the installation configuration, the wide-overflow barrels further reduce risk of any overflow that can have an adverse affect on nearby structures / foundations.
Wide overflow internal outflow pipe.
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Wide overflow barrel with larger outflow hose.
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Downspout diverter installed on a regular barrel.
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Is there a warranty on the rain barrels?
Yes, Upcycle Products rain barrels carry a 5-year warranty on materials and workmanship. The only way this warranty can be voided is if you leave the barrel out during the winter without opening the spigot and linking hose fitting - if the barrel fills with water and freezes the barrel will crack.
Any advice on larger systems & pumps?
We do sell 250 gallon totes, and often these are used for larger systems for gardens and farms. Additionally we hear from many customers using pumps to increase their pressure output from their water totes/barrels. A good resource is from one of our customers and local farms with a multiple tote and pump system.
Disclaimer
With proper installation, maintenance and use, rain barrels should function properly. The Washtenaw County Conservation District assumes no liability for the installation, maintenance, property damage or injury that may be associated with the use of rain barrels.
Yes, Upcycle Products rain barrels carry a 5-year warranty on materials and workmanship. The only way this warranty can be voided is if you leave the barrel out during the winter without opening the spigot and linking hose fitting - if the barrel fills with water and freezes the barrel will crack.
Any advice on larger systems & pumps?
We do sell 250 gallon totes, and often these are used for larger systems for gardens and farms. Additionally we hear from many customers using pumps to increase their pressure output from their water totes/barrels. A good resource is from one of our customers and local farms with a multiple tote and pump system.
Disclaimer
With proper installation, maintenance and use, rain barrels should function properly. The Washtenaw County Conservation District assumes no liability for the installation, maintenance, property damage or injury that may be associated with the use of rain barrels.
