A rainwater collection system is ideal for anyone who wants to make their home a little bit greener. Overuse of clean water from our taps for outside use comes at a huge and unnecessary energy cost, but by installing a discreet collection barrel, you can help cut your home’s contribution to the waste – and you get to water your lawn totally guilt-free using the rain that falls onto your own rooftop.

What is a Rainwater Collection System?

A large barrel is linked up to the downpipe that carries away the water from the guttering around your roof. Instead of going down into the drain, the rainwater is kept until you choose to use it – usually, the barrel has a low-down tap for easy access.

The unfiltered water is of course not safe for drinking, but has many other uses. Keen gardeners especially will benefit from having a guilt-free supply of naturally collected rainwater that can be used despite draughts and hosepipe bans. It’s ideal for any outside use such as in paddling pools or ponds, and if you check that no grit has come out of the tap, then there’s also no reason why it can’t be used for washing vehicles or windows.

Choosing Collection Barrels

You have to think carefully about how much room you’re willing to sacrifice before you decide on a size. You also have to consider that, unless you make some changes to the design of your roof, you can’t choose the location of your downpipe especially for this purpose.

As for the barrel itself, here are plenty of places you can buy either a purpose-built system or a new barrel big enough to hold a good quantity of water. However, you could stay even greener by making your own out of an old dustbin, or have a look around the internet for any other type of suitable reclaimed vessel.

Suitable Roofing Systems

You ideally need a pitched roof, even if it is only at a very low angle, to allow for the controlled run-off of rainwater. Metrotile’s lightweight steel roofing is ideal for the environmentally conscious. It’s 100% recyclable and comes with a 40-year weatherproof guarantee, meaning that it doesn’t need to be replaced as often as other tile materials. It’s also suitable for use at a high or low pitch, so if you have a flat roof, converting it to be compatible with a rainwater collection system is easy.

If you’re interested in a flat-to-pitch conversion to allow for better run-off of water, or need to find a sustainable roof tile that is compatible with a rainwater collection system, then contact us for a no-obligation discussion or a free quote.