Talking About

Rain gauges are indispensable in the study of weather phenomenon. Hydrologists as well as meteorologists use these instruments in order that they can analyze and measure the level of precipitation over a given time frame. Precipitation may be in the form of liquid, which is water rain, or solid, such as snow, hail or sleet. There are essentially two parts comprising a rain gauge, one where the precipitation is caught and the other, which measures the amount of precipitation taken.

Rain gauges are of different types, the standard ran gauge, the weighing rain gauge and the tipping bucket rain gauge. Each type presents its respective advantages and disadvantages when utilized. To be effective, rain gauges should be located in isolated places where the effects of any structures like trees or buildings will be minimized or avoided.

When speaking of standard rain gauges, these refer to the use of a graduated cylinder with a funnel attached to it. The graduated cylinder is further placed into a bigger container that is capable of holding any excess pouring out of the said cylinder.

Weighing rain gauges make use of a pen, a rotating drum, and a storage bin. While the storage drum is being filled with whatever type of precipitation is being monitored, the pen located below the storage bin records the weight of the drum. This gauge is more accurate in its measurement as opposed to the tipping bucket rain gauges. Another feature of the weighing rain gauge is its capability to measure the amount or level of chemicals present in the atmosphere. The disadvantage of using this gauge is its cost, since acquiring this instrument can be quite expensive.

Tipping bucket rain gauge utilizes a big copper cylinder, a funnel, a couple of levers and a recorder consisting of a pen and a wheel. The levers are placed on equilibrium similar to a scale. When a definite amount of precipitation is reached, a lever tips emitting a signal to the recorder. The pen makes a motion, either up or down to record the lever movement and the amount of precipitation. Nowadays, this gauge has been updated with the use of a plastic container and a pivot.

Whatever rain gauge you decide to use, the important thing is achieving its purpose, which is to measure the amount of precipitation in any given time and in any given location.

The continuously growing problem in the environment is definitely one of the most destructive concerns that have detrimental effects on the world as a whole. There are innumerable alternatives created in order to remedy this pressing concern to put an end to the dilemmas that has been bombarding the planet. Rain garden creation and subsequently its maintenance is definitely a prominent way of helping in the preservation of nature even in your own home.

Rain gardens are shallow depressions on which the site is planted plants and grasses with deep-rooted features. These are strategically located on areas and sites which are positioned in close proximity to runoff sources specifically your driveways, roofs and sump pumps among others.

The sites where direct flow of runoff waters on which rain gardens are planted helps in the prevention of the flow of runoffs and the contained chemicals and other pollutants in its system from reaching the sewerage system. This is consequently resulting to the preservation of the larger bodies of water such as rivers and lakes from getting contaminated with the same runoff waters that directly flows into it without rain gardens to prevent it.

Hence, one prominent benefit of creating and cultivating a rain garden is in keeping the water system clean and safe for consumption. Hence, make sure that you are doing everything you can to make a successful nurture of this type of rain garden to ensure the quality of water, health of those consuming it and most importantly, the safety and conservation of the entire ecological system.

There are three basic things you need to consider when making or starting up a rain garden such as the soil and its quality on which to plant this garden type, the size of the garden and the location or site on which to build it. These are prominent components which must be seriously considered and ensured if you want to have a flourishing garden that gives remarkable and fruitful effects.

Location is one of the bloodstreams that gives life and nurtures the survival and flourishing of the garden you are planning to create. If you are basically aiming for a rain garden, then you must make sure that the location is definitely near or in close proximity to runoff areas. This ought to be in between the driveways and roofs which are the runoff sources and the runoff destination specifically the low spots, streams and drains. The most ideal site for such garden types must also be in partial access to full sunlight in order to balance what your plants and foliage require for growth and survival.

The soil quality must be something that is sandy with good drainage system however it is also amenable for installing on less or impermeable soil types such as clays. One way of examining the soil is through digging a one foot hole on the site and look for prominent signs ideal for rain garden planting.

Soils which are well saturated with water when you poured it on the hole even after days provided it have seized raining, then it is a sign that this site is suitable for rain gardens.

How much rain water do I need for rain barrels & garden?

This depends on how much rain you get in your part of the country. Arizona gets.7 in per month on average. California gets about an 1.5. Places like Georgia, New York, and WI get about 4, 3.3, and 2.6 inches of rain a month. This number varies tremendously depending on season, drought, and flooding. Never the less, this means that on a 1000 square foot roof and 1 inch of rain you have the potential to catch 623 gallons. In Arizona you could catch almost 430 gallons a month and in Georgia you could keep nearly 2492 gallons. Now you must decide how much plant life and how much water you intend to use for other uses, like washing your car or flushing your toilets. An average household of 4 can use around 12,000 gallons a month for bathing, cooking, washing, recreation and watering.

Outdoor use could account for as much as 40% of the monthly usage. The best use for unfiltered, but soft distilled water is for outside use on plants, gardens and washing your car. So the answer is, as much as possible, but saving any amount will help you get through a drought, local water restrictions or power outages and the chance of scarce or a complete lack of water. You decide how much you want to start off with, be it 55 gallons per downspout or 1000 gallons per downspout. A rain diverter and rain barrel system should allow 1 or 2 tanks to be filled in parallel. If you wanted to save more water, the Daisy Chain Kit can be added and allows for limitless expansion or additional systems could be added to multiple downspouts around the house.

What do you do with the rain barrel overflow?

This is very important to consider. When your rain barrel or tank fills up, which, it will. Where is the rest of the water from your roof going to go? You probably have already invested a lot of money in grading the landscape, drainage pipes, or some type of predetermined path away from your basement and foundation before you planned on your rain saving system. Most of the systems on the market, have overflow tubes that come out the side or just overflow over the top. The danger is, that this water could seep into the basement, create a hazard on a patio or could ruin your landscape. Even if the system has an overflow tube at the rain barrel, then, ask yourself, then what do you do with it, and hopefully it is large enough to dispense enough water during severe weather.

A Rain Barrel Diverter Kit should use an automatic, closed system technology where, when the water fills the tanks, the water is then diverted back to your existing drainage system in the downspout and in the drainage pipes or wherever you use to have the water go, when you didn’t have any problems. By easily inserting the small rain diverter into the downspout you are in fact not changing your whole water drainage plan, but just tapping the useful water out for later use. A Rain Barrel Diverter should also be designed with a non-constricting, open flow system, where the fail-safe mode during severe storms and rains up to 3 to 5 inches per hour allows the house’s drainage system to work as it was meant for.

What kind of gutter do I have?

What I have found, as I have traveled across the country, is that the majority of houses have a standard 2″ x 3″ downspout. Much of the new construction and larger residential homes have standard 3″x 4″ downspouts. There are small percentages of urban and older houses that have round or custom unique shapes. This is extremely easy to figure out, if you don’t already know. Just look at them and measure them with a ruler.

A Rain Barrel Diverter should be designed to work with the standard 2″ x 3″ and the 3″ x 4″ downspouts. And should withstand the added volume of the 3″ x 4″ downspout without constricting the existing system using a 3″x4″ downspout adapter. As for the other custom downspouts, a custom solution is required by the installer. (Don’t worry, we are working on the last percentage of custom downspouts.)

Where am I going to place or hide rain barrels?

The question is actually where are you going to need it. Landscaping on the corner of the house, garden in the yard, or close to the driveway for your car. Many systems can be centralized but require a pump to move the water around. With a gravity fed system, elevate the rain barrel or tank and keep close to your point of use. This also prevents carrying a hose around the house and adds a water spigot of free water at every downspout, which would be a tough plumbing job for well or municipal water systems.

Depending on each situation, Home owner Associations and the design of your landscape might prevent you from putting the rain barrel directly under the downspout. A rain diverter kit should come tubing to allow for placing the rain barrel around the corner. For disguising rain barrels and rain barrel enclosure some good places would be: out of site under the deck, or even underground. Others might want to show off their rain barrel with rain barrel decorations using paint or unique structures.