How to HARVEST RAINWATER from your roof
Summary
TLDRThis video script educates viewers on rainwater harvesting, a valuable resource referred to as 'blue gold.' It outlines the essentials for collecting rainwater from roofs, including gutter sizing, debris management with leaf screens, and first flush diverters to ensure water quality. The script also covers critical tank components like access ports, vents, overflows, and outlets, emphasizing the need for critter-proofing and strategies to minimize sludge buildup. It concludes with ideas for utilizing collected water and the importance of following basic rules for a successful system.
Takeaways
- đ§ Water, referred to as 'blue gold', is a precious resource that can be harvested from rooftops.
- đ Regardless of roofing material, it's possible to collect rainwater, but water quality varies with the material.
- đ§ïž Properly sized gutters are essential to handle storm runoff and prevent water from spilling over.
- đ A leaf screen is beneficial for keeping leaves and debris out of the water collection system.
- đŠ A first flush diverter is used to direct the initial dirty water away from the storage tank.
- đ° High-maintenance systems like first flush diverters can clog and require regular cleaning.
- đ ïž Water storage tanks need essential components like access ports, vents, overflows, and insect/rodent-proof outlets.
- đż Algae growth can be prevented by using dark or opaque tanks to block light from entering.
- đ Planning for sludge layer accumulation is important, with outlets placed above the sludge layer.
- đ§ In areas with clean air and proper setup, harvested rainwater can be clean enough for drinking.
- đż Overflow from water tanks can be utilized for various purposes like irrigation or toilet flushing.
Q & A
What is referred to as 'blue gold' in the script?
-In the script, 'blue gold' is a metaphorical term for water, emphasizing its value as a precious resource.
Why is water collection from roofs considered valuable?
-Water collection from roofs is valuable because it allows individuals to capture and utilize rainwater that would otherwise be wasted, potentially reducing dependence on municipal water supplies and saving money.
What factors affect the quality of water collected from a roof?
-The quality of collected water can vary depending on the roofing material and the presence of debris that washes off the roof.
Why is it important to have a properly sized gutter for a rainwater harvesting system?
-A properly sized gutter is crucial to handle the runoff during heavy storms without causing water to spill over the edge or pour off the roof.
What is a leaf screen and how does it benefit a rainwater harvesting system?
-A leaf screen is a device designed to keep leaves and other debris out of the water collection system, ensuring that only water flows through the downspout and into the storage tank.
Can you explain the function of a first flush diverter in a rainwater harvesting system?
-A first flush diverter is used to redirect the initial flow of dirty water that contains debris and contaminants away from the storage tank, ensuring that only cleaner water is collected.
What are the key components that every water storage tank should have according to the script?
-Every water storage tank should have an access port, a vent, an overflow, and an outlet. These components are essential for maintaining the tank's functionality and water quality.
Why is it necessary to screen all overflow pipes, vents, and outlets in a rainwater harvesting system?
-Screening is necessary to prevent insects, rodents, and amphibians from entering the tank, which could contaminate the water and degrade its quality.
How can the growth of algae in a water storage tank be prevented?
-Algae growth can be prevented by using a dark-colored or opaque tank to block light, as algae require light to grow.
What are some ways to utilize the overflow from a rainwater harvesting system?
-Overflow water can be used to water a sunken basin, supply a home for flushing toilets, or be used in an irrigation system. The tank itself can also serve as a structure for privacy screening or support for climbing plants.
What is the significance of positioning the outlet above the sludge layer in a water storage tank?
-Placing the outlet above the sludge layer helps maintain water quality by preventing the sludge from being drawn into the water supply.
Outlines
đ§ Rainwater Harvesting: Collecting Blue Gold
This paragraph introduces the concept of 'blue gold,' a term used to describe water due to its high value as a resource. It emphasizes the importance of collecting rainwater, which is often wasted, and suggests that by doing so, one can save money and contribute to sustainability. The narrator briefly discusses the necessity of having a properly sized gutter to manage water runoff and mentions the use of a leaf screen to prevent debris from entering the water collection system. A first flush diverter is introduced as a device to remove initial dirty water from the collection process, ensuring cleaner water storage. The paragraph also touches on the maintenance challenges of such systems due to potential clogs in the first flush diverter.
đ± Designing a Rainwater Harvesting System
The second paragraph delves into the design considerations for a rainwater harvesting system. It highlights the importance of various components such as access ports for maintenance, vents to prevent vacuum formation, overflows to handle excess water, and insect-proof outlets to maintain water quality. The paragraph also discusses strategies to manage the buildup of sludge in the tank, including the placement of the outlet and the use of an inlet pipe to minimize disturbance of the sludge layer. The narrator suggests that with proper design and maintenance, the collected rainwater can be clean enough for drinking. Additionally, the paragraph explores ways to utilize the overflow from the tank, such as using it for irrigation or as a water supply for flushing toilets. The narrator concludes by encouraging viewers to explore the vast array of rainwater harvesting systems available, either through custom parts or DIY approaches.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄBlue Gold
đĄRoof
đĄGutter
đĄDebris
đĄLeaf Screen
đĄFirst Flush Diverter
đĄTank
đĄOverflow
đĄInsect, Rodent, and Amphibian Proof
đĄAlgae
đĄSludge Layer
Highlights
Water, referred to as 'blue gold,' is a valuable resource that's essential for life and can be collected from rooftops.
Regardless of roofing material, you can collect rainwater, though water quality may vary based on the material.
Proper gutter sizing is crucial to handle heavy runoff during storms without overflowing.
Debris from the roof can be managed with a leaf screen, preventing it from entering the water collection system.
A first flush diverter is used to redirect the initial dirty water away from the storage tank.
Different designs of first flush diverters exist, often with a slow release mechanism to allow sediment to settle.
Maintenance of the first flush diverter is necessary to prevent clogging from debris filtering down.
Water tanks can be made from various materials including concrete, plastic, metal, and wood.
Tanks require an access port for cleaning or repairs, a vent to prevent vacuum creation, and an overflow to handle excess water.
Proper screening of overflow pipes, vents, and outlets is essential to keep insects, rodents, and amphibians out of the water.
To prevent algae growth, tanks should be opaque or dark-colored to block light.
Outlet placement above the sludge layer or at the bottom of the tank can affect water quality and maintenance.
Inlet pipes can be designed to enter the tank above the outlet to minimize disturbance of the sludge layer.
Rainwater collected can be clean enough to drink if collected from a clean atmosphere and metal roof following proper guidelines.
Overflow from the tank can be utilized for various purposes such as watering plants or flushing toilets.
The tank can serve multiple purposes in the landscape, such as privacy screening or supporting a trellis for climbing plants.
This video provides a basic introduction to rainwater harvesting, with many more system types and custom parts available.
Following the rules and including basic components in rainwater harvesting systems can lead to a safe and abundant water supply.
Transcripts
[Music]
as long as you follow the rules and
include the basic components
then you should be safe and abundant
with your tank full of blue gold
[Music]
have you ever heard
of blue gold blue gold is water and it's
called blue gold because it's a valuable
resource that wars are being fought over
and people are making fortunes from and
you are just letting it fall from the
sky off your roof and down into the
gutter and then going and paying
somebody else for it so let's look at
what it takes to start collecting all
that free blue gold and make you a
richer person so we're starting at the
roof now this is not a video about
roofing materials and honestly i find it
really boring to talk about them
but really quick i'll lay out some facts
and you can pause the video and read
them if you'd like regardless of what
your roof material is you can collect
blue gold although the water quality
will vary depending on what material the
collection surface is
whatever the material is you'll need a
gutter now your gutter has to be sized
properly to handle runoff during a big
storm so water doesn't pour off the roof
and spill over the edge
the gutter is also the place where
debris collects that washes off the roof
and that debris can build up in the
gutter or be washed down the downspout
now there's this great invention called
a leaf screen that's made specifically
to keep leaves and other debris
out of your water system so the water
flows from this downspout and hits this
screen it's positioned at an angle
the big degree falls off the steep angle
as water passes through
and then inside there's another finer
screen where small particles are
filtered but still there's going to be
contaminants in the water that will get
through the leaf screen
fine dust and particles that are built
up on the roof between rains so there's
this thing called a first flush diverter
now a first flush diverter takes the
first flush of dirty water that flows
through the downspout and the leaf
screen and it drops it down into this
pipe without heading on to the tank
now there are lots of different designs
for this but usually there's some sort
of slow release on the end of this pipe
like a drip emitter and so anything
heavier than water
sinks to the bottom
of this pipe and the water slowly drains
out of the bottom of the pipe while the
cleaner water continues on to the tank
but these systems are really high
maintenance because the emitter or the
small hole at the bottom of the pipe
tends to clog
right because all the stuff is
filtering down
and so it needs a lot of attention and
cleaning to keep it functional so the
first flush of dirty water is diverted
away from the tank and as the water
drips out of the first flush diverter
and the pipe empties between rains the
system is reset ready for the next rain
tanks can be made of lots of different
materials
concrete plastic metal and even wood
now regardless of the material
every tank has several really important
components
so you need an access port to get into
the tank to clean or repair it sometimes
the tank needs a vent so when water is
flowing
into the tank and overflowing from a
full tank it doesn't create a vacuum and
implode the tank that can actually
happen
you need an overflow that's the same
size or bigger than the inflow so when
the tank is full and it's raining super
hard and water is pouring in water
doesn't overwhelm the pipe and start
pouring out of the vent
you may have the overflow going into a
second tank or a third tank or a fourth
tank and so on
and then of course the outlet is how you
actually distribute the water now this
tank needs to be completely insect
rodent and amphibian proof otherwise
you'll have creatures living breeding
and then dying in your tank which will
degrade the water quality so all
overflow pipes vents and outlets of any
kind have to be screened to keep
critters out now if light can get into
your tank you're going to get algae
growing which also will degrade your
water quality if you're going for
potable drinking water
so having a dark color or opaque tank is
needed to avoid algae growth now even
with all of these protections you're
still going to get a layer of sludge
building up in the tank over time so
you're going to want to plan for that
firstly by making sure that your outlet
right here is not at the very bottom of
the tank and is placed above the sludge
layer there's actually another school of
thought that says that to put the outlet
at the very bottom of the tank
is better because the sludge is always
incrementally coming out of the tank
instead of building up on the bottom so
a lot depends on your final use of the
water and how clean you need it to be
now another good method for reducing the
impacts of the sludge layer is to
actually
bring the inlet pipe
down through the tank
to outlet at the bottom of the tank if
possible so the falling water doesn't
disturb the sludge when it comes down
and enters the tank now not a lot of
people do this but it can really enhance
your water quality
especially if you're going for the very
highest quality of water if you live in
a place with a clean atmosphere
a metal roof and you follow these basic
rules then you should actually have
water clean enough to drink so the water
tank should not just exist in isolation
because at some point it's going to
overflow and that overflow can be
utilized as a resource
now i drew the tank's first flush
diverter the overflow
and the outlet here all watering this
sunken basin but you could have this
water hooked up to supply a lot of uses
you could have the water pressurized to
supply a home for flushing toilets or
pressurized for an irrigation system the
tank itself as a structure can serve as
privacy screening in the landscape
or you could put a trellis over the tank
and grow vines right on it so this video
is really just a basic introduction to
the rules of thumb for rainwater
harvesting from a roof into a tank
and the variety of types of system are
more vast than i can share in just this
one video
there are manufacturers who make a lot
of custom parts for rainwater harvesting
and you can also diy a lot of this
but as long as you follow the rules and
include the basic components
then you should be safe and abundant
with your tank full of blue gold so good
luck out there friends and happy
harvesting
[Music]
you
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