With absence central water supply organization of an autonomous water supply system – optimal solution for private houses and cottages.

The main water source in this case is any hydraulic structure - a well or a well.

But in order to save water supplies or when the flow rate of the water intake point is low, experts recommend providing Alternative option– a rainwater container installed on the roof or in a technical room.

For what purposes is rainwater used?

Rainwater is an additional resource that can be obtained with minimal financial costs and physical effort.

Water collection does not require the use of complex equipment and electricity to supply it from a hydraulic structure to the consumer. All that is necessary is to equip reliable containers for collecting and storing liquid.

Rational use of rainwater in country house to cover various domestic and economic needs - the main purpose of the water collection system.

Rainwater collected in a tank can be used for the following purposes:

1. For agricultural needs. The water is collected and stored in barrels for quick heating, after which it can be used to water crops and irrigate fields. Collecting rainwater for irrigation ensures the creation of the necessary liquid reserve during dry periods. Special containers – metal or plastic tanks – are used as storage units. There are no increased requirements for the liquid, so no additional filtration or purification is required.
2. For technical needs. Water after rain is also suitable for technical purposes - cleaning premises, washing cars, household equipment, paths, facades, for organizing flushing in the bathroom. Higher requirements are imposed on the quality of the liquid - mandatory purification from foreign impurities, pollutants and metal salts.
3. For household needs. To use water for domestic purposes - for laundry, washing dishes and kitchen appliances, acceptance summer shower, as well as bathing procedures, it is necessary to additionally purify the liquid using filter units.
4. For nutritional needs. Without preliminary deep purification, rainwater is not used for drinking and cooking. To make water safe, it is recommended to carry out multi-stage filtration, including biological treatment. High demands are placed on the collection, preparation and storage of liquids.

To organize home collection of rainwater from the roof with your own hands, you do not need permitting documentation or compliance established standards. A simple and reliable water collector can be installed on a regular roof using storage tanks and a pipe system.

Which roof is suitable for a catchment area?

It is important to understand that not every roof can be used to collect rainwater, since the type of structure and roof covering can affect the organoleptic properties of the liquid.

Despite their reliability and convenience, flat roofs are rarely used for such purposes for the following reasons: they are not equipped with drainage elements for natural drainage of water; liquid can stagnate on the roofing surface, forming puddles and streaks.

In some cases modern construction technologies still allow you to install waste systems and for such types of roofs when the installation of insulating material and waterproofing layer is carried out at an angle of up to 5 degrees, and special trays are installed in the lower part of the roof to collect water.

Also to drainage elements flat roof include funnels fixed on drain risers, which are located in interior walls or along the facade of a building.

Traditionally flat roofs are equipped with simple one-level collecting devices for rapid drainage of liquid into common system gutter

It is easier and more affordable to organize water collection on buildings with roofs with one or two slopes, installed at an angle of 8 to 10 degrees.

The main drainage elements should also not contain hazardous substances, for these purposes it is better to choose plastic, stainless steel or clay structures.

Types of storage tanks

Underground tanks are additionally equipped with submersible or surface type for supplying liquid to water intake points. For effective removal To remove third-party impurities and pollutants, multi-stage systems are used - filters for coarse and fine purification, as well as carbon-based devices.

Construction of a collection system with ground storage

To set up such a system for a summer house or country house you will need:

• storage plastic tank;
• flexible connecting hose;
• filter element;
• steel or plastic pipes, grooves and trays;
• fasteners.

We assemble a homemade drainage system as follows:

1. The grooves along the edges of the roof are fixed with hooks or staples.
2. The angle for installing the storage tank is selected. The drainage pipe is also fixed here.
3. All elements are connected by a funnel.
4. The connecting seams are reliably sealed with special sealants.

When installing drainage elements, it is important to ensure a slight slope of 2.5–3 cm towards the drainpipe. When assembling the corner pipe to which the storage tank is connected, a filter is installed. The funnel is also equipped with a filter element. Marks are made with a pencil to determine the height of installation of the drainage pipe, respecting the level of the top of the tank.

The marked area is carefully cut and removed, and a prefabricated collector is installed in its place. Next, a hose is connected, one end to the water receiver, the other to the storage tank. To do this, a hole of the appropriate diameter is made under the protective cover of the tank.

The site on which the storage tank is installed is filled with fine gravel, and a brick stand is installed on top.

Construction of an underground system with a reservoir

Organization of an autonomous rainwater collection system underground - technically more difficult option, requiring careful preparation and certain skills.

To implement it you will need a plastic or metal tank volume from 2 to 3 thousand liters and choice suitable place for installation. When arranging a pit, it is important to take into account the level groundwater and depth of soil freezing.

The optimal pit depth should be 80 cm higher than the height of the selected tank, since 25 cm will be a waterproofing layer of gravel and sand, 55 cm will be a layer of soil on top of the installed tank.

All work is carried out in the following order:

1. The site is being marked for the construction of a pit. A pit of appropriate size is dug.
2. The bottom is covered with gravel and sand and carefully compacted.
3. A reservoir is installed in the center of the pit.
4. The perimeter of the storage tank is filled with soil and sand.
5. Equipment for water intake, drainage and water intake pipes are installed.
6. The storage tank is closed with a lid and insulated.

To prevent clogging storage tank debris, a special filter unit is installed on the drainpipes, which reliably purifies the water from foreign impurities and metal salts. With regular use of the system, the filters are thoroughly cleaned to remove accumulated contaminants.

After installation is completed, it is necessary to conduct a test run of the finished system: liquid is poured into the storage tank and pumping equipment is connected. Correct installation the system will ensure a fast and unhindered supply of rainwater to water intake points.

To organize a backup water source for domestic and economic needs, you need to know how to collect rainwater into special storage tanks and further equip autonomous system water supply for country house or dachas.

It only takes one weekend to create your own rainwater harvesting system. You can use water collected from the roof to water your garden, wash your car, take an outdoor shower in your dacha, do laundry, and other needs. Remember that it is teeming with bacteria: it is unsuitable for drinking or cooking. Such rainwater supply will always be specialized, and collecting water from the roof will not replace a well and a water supply system.

Preparation:

Before heading to the hardware store, there are some small but important calculations you need to make. Therefore, to begin with, we will determine the material from which the roof of your country house is made, the amount of moisture that will flow down the roof, the volume that needs to be collected based on calculations of daily consumption and annual precipitation.

• Roofs coated with tar, gravel, asbestos and any other toxic coating are not suitable. This coating will leave unwanted chemicals in the collected water. Suitable safety covering: tiles, metal, etc.
• Measure the perimeter of the roof, then calculate the area, excluding slopes and eaves. Effective area will be at least 80% of the total area. This parameter depends on the roof surface. To calculate the approximate volume of liquid collected per year using this method, we use the following formula:

V=(S*A*k)/1000 liters, where:

V – volume of collected water
S – total area roofs in m2
A – annual precipitation in mm
k – water collection efficiency coefficient, k=0.8

The size of the rainwater collection tank is selected based on the volume of water consumed daily by all residents of the house. General formula: consumption per person per day &規 number of people &規 number of days = required volume.

Another parameter is the duration of the rainy season: near Moscow it can be one, in Siberia another, in Primorye a third. Divide the rainy season into months, write down the average monthly rainfall, subtract the amount of water you need per month. As a result, we get the amount of unused liquid that can be transferred to the next month.

And remember: if you collect rainwater from your roof in a round tank, its volume is calculated by the formula: surface area &規 height of the tank.

Purchasing materials

• Rainwater tank: free. (You can use an old one or search around).
• Polypropylene drum with lid - $0.35-$1.00/gallon (Very light, unlike others)
• Metal barrel- $0.40 - $0.60/gallon (This type of storage container cannot be used for collection and storage drinking water, if it does not have a special gasket).
• Gutters - $0.30 for - 30.5 cm; Alternatively, you can make the drains yourself.
• Pipes leading to and from the water collection tank: approximately $10 for 3 meters (Pipe diameter depends on the size of the water collection area)
• PVC elbows - $2 per piece.
• Cement - $5.
• Materials for a smooth and stable surface: special backing/mattress - $6.
• Fencing around the entire perimeter of the tank - $10.
• Path covering - $20.
• 1 bag of Portland cement -30 dollars.
• The sediment container can be installed stably by digging a hole of several centimeters in the ground underneath it. However, this is not suitable for all types of soil.

Note: Leaf filters, strainer screens or funnels must be installed to protect gutters.

Installation

1. The tank opening should be located a few centimeters below the drain funnel.

2. It is desirable that the tank has aesthetic appearance and was camouflaged between the trees.

3. The tank must be on a flat, stable surface (on a support/mattress). Create a small fence around the tank. Fill the fenced area with a special coating for roads - it is cheap and compact. Then lay down a small layer of Portland cement. Loosen it, check with a level to make sure the surface is even, and fill it with water. Let dry.

4. When attaching gutters, you must remember:

• Measure the length of the eaves in order to determine the lengths of the gutters.
• Drainpipes must be fixed at intervals of 10-15 m along the entire length of the main gutter.
• Count the number of gutters - double the number to get the required number of elbows. Count the number of turns at 900 and 450 to obtain the required number of elbows of the desired shape.
• Calculate the required number of fasteners, flexible clamps and plugs.
• Brackets must be placed on the eaves at intervals of 9 m or on each head of the rafter.
• It is recommended to place gutters at an angle of 0.6 - 1.2 cm towards the drainpipe every 3 m. To do this, measure the perimeter of the house.

To prevent gutters from becoming clogged, install filters to collect leaves and clear sediment from debris: flat filter meshes or funnels. Leaf collection screens are usually installed at the beginning of gutters, and filter screens and funnels are installed where liquid enters the downspouts.

General rules: 15m2 of roof collecting surface = 7.5cm diameter downspout for every 15m length of gutter connected to a 10cm diameter PVC pipe carrying water into the tank.

5. For smaller surfaces, a drain pipe with a diameter of no more than 5 cm for every 12 m of gutter length connected to a PVC pipe with a diameter of 7.5 cm.

6. When joining PVC pipes with cement, turn them a quarter turn back and forth so that the cement is evenly distributed. If small balls have formed around the pipe, then you have done everything correctly - the pipes will not leak. Also, do not forget to leave not very large reserves of length when cutting pipes - approximately 7.5 cm (for connections).

7. You need to install the tank at the most high point, since the water pressure is 453 g/2.54 cm2 for every 70 cm of height.

The use of precipitation will provide significant savings in water extracted from a well or well. In addition, it will help reduce energy consumption, as it allows you to turn on pumping equipment less often. However, you don’t know how to collect nature’s free “gift” for further use?

We'll show you how to do this. The article discusses a rainwater collection system and options for using precipitation for domestic needs. The device, design specifics are described, and the effectiveness is assessed taking into account the funds spent on organizing an alternative water supply.

For interested visitors, we have selected organizational diagrams with underground and above-ground reservoir locations, and presented photos with camouflage options storage capacity, have collected useful videos that allow you to organize water collection on your own.

With supplies fresh water in Russia everything is in order, but the most economic owners of private lands have increasingly begun to think about the rational use of natural resources.

Is it possible to install a structure to use rainwater in a house without major changes? Of course, but you will have to supplement the circuit with storage capacity and related equipment.

First, you will have to analyze the state of the accumulating plane, that is, the roof. You should check its integrity, cleanliness, and if necessary, change it roof covering to a safer one.

If the storm structure of pipes and trays is in order, a large factory-made polyethylene tank can be attached directly to it. Install a fitting at the bottom of the tank for emergency draining.

In order not to disturb the design of the storm drain, the easiest way is to install a volumetric plastic barrel for watering, but not suitable for house maintenance

If there is a need to install a large underground tank, you will have to make adjustments to the old structure - most likely, change the location of the sewer pipes. By digging a pit and installing pumping equipment, you will have to re-lay the communications for the drains.

We offer two options for installing rainwater use systems - with an above-ground and underground reservoir.

Construction of a simple system with a barrel

To assemble the easiest circuit, you will need a kit for installing gutters, a filter, a ready-made water tank, a short hose and mounting hardware.

The result of the work will be a simple system for collecting water from a sloping roof with a large plastic tank as a storage tank

Plastic gutters, trays and pipes required size we purchase in hardware store. If you are not satisfied with plastic, we use galvanized steel parts, homemade or factory-made.

We assemble the drainage system in the following order:

• Using special brackets or hooks, we secure the gutter along the edge of the roof;
• At the corner, in a place convenient for installing the tank, we hang the drainpipe;
• we connect the main elements with a receiving funnel;
• We seal seams and joints.

In the matter of draining rainwater in a dacha, there are three simple stages- direct, slow and absorb.

Depending on the region, we all do this in slightly different ways.

Some are struggling with heavy runoff water on a sloped property, some are carefully collecting rainwater for the garden, while others simply want to divert stormwater away from the foundation of the house.

The simplest drainage system is a gutter, which directs all rainwater from the roof to the ground.


Instead of a traditional drain, drainage chains, which you can make yourself, do the same task well - this, compared to a drainpipe, is simple and inexpensive.

Traditionally, gardeners collect rainwater for irrigation. You can slightly improve a regular water barrel: add an outlet for a garden hose at the bottom, lower the overflow hose at the top, and put the drain itself directly into the barrel. To do this, it is more convenient to use a flexible module for drainage.


If you need to collect a lot of rainwater, then you can assemble a more complex water collection system, which is based on simple rule communicating vessels. There can be as many of these rain barrels connected to each other as you like.

If the task is simply to drain rainwater from the foundation of the house, then you can make simple drainage: a shallow trench with sand and pebbles will reliably drain excess water to 3-4 m.


If the roof area is large or there is a significant slope on the site, then a more voluminous drainage system is made, with an underground storage tank, as shown in the diagram.

One of modern methods water drainage - is a rain garden, inexpensive and beautiful way drainage This garden looks like an ordinary flower garden, but it absorbs water 30% better.


A rain garden is a flowerbed of wild plants, which is located in a small depression on the site. The soil for such a garden is mixed in a special way: sand, compost, soil; in order to enhance the absorption capacity of the flower garden.


If on your summer cottage The groundwater level is high enough - 50 cm, then this type of drainage will not suit you. In addition, for clayey area You need to add gravel to the bottom.


We plant in the rain garden wild plants, usually they calmly withstand a large number of moisture, and can grow in dry conditions. For a new flower garden, we mulch the plantings with heavy mulch - pine needles, etc., so that the water does not carry it away.


In a rain garden, you can plant not only herbs and flowers, but also shrubs, which are best planted at the edge of the inflow of water - this way they will slow down the flow of water and prevent smaller plants from being washed away.


A rain garden as a method of draining rainwater and draining an area is suitable not only for draining runoff from the roof, but also for gardens with a slight slope.

The dream of every country house owner is to make their territory as comfortable as possible for living. The success of realizing this dream directly depends on the volume and quality of water supply - you must admit that in conditions of limited resources it is difficult to feel completely comfortable. That is why more and more owners suburban dwellings are beginning to look for alternative sources of water that can be used for their needs without much hassle and expense. One such source is rainwater. Do you want to know how to properly collect, store and use it? Then we tell and show: for your attention the subtleties of arrangement effective system collection, accumulation and purification of rainfall with your own hands and video of installation work.

Features of using rainwater

Life outside the city with accompanying housekeeping requires very high costs water. And if for direct consumption and sanitary and hygienic procedures households have only one source - either autonomous or centralized, then for various household and household needs an alternative option can be used - rainwater. Watering the vegetable garden, washing equipment, cleaning the area - all these needs can be easily covered with collected sediment.

Important! Rainwater is not suitable for drinking and cooking as it does not respond sanitary standards– in order for the liquid to become suitable for consumption, it must go through several stages of special purification.

The main advantage of collecting rainwater is the absence of regular capital investments: you only need to spend money once on purchasing all the components of the system, and then you can get the resource that is so necessary for your household absolutely free.

Another important advantage of this option is the ease of organization: you can assemble a system for collecting and storing water without the involvement of professionals. The simplest system includes the following elements: storage tank, drain, filters. The entire process of arranging the system is conventionally divided into three stages:

• roof selection and preparation;
• assembly of a drainage structure;
• drive installation.

Roof selection

Not every roof can be used to collect rainwater - it all depends on two factors: the configuration of the roof and its material. So, you should immediately exclude flat designs: on such roofs natural drainage is impossible, so the collected liquid will stagnate all the time, which will lead to the formation of harmful bacteria. Sloping roofs, both single-pitch and gable, are excellent for arranging a drainage system. Moreover, the stronger the slope, the faster the water moves and the cleaner it is, since it simply does not have time to become polluted. The optimal roof slope is at least 15 degrees.

Concerning roofing materials, then they are divided into two groups. The first is those from which the collection of liquid is prohibited: asbestos slate, copper tiles, roofing with elements of lead and copper - these materials contain compounds dangerous to living organisms. The second is those that are absolutely harmless and can be used to collect liquid: clay tiles, bitumen coatings, roofs made of plastic and zinc-coated steel.

Arrangement of drainage

For a standard sloping roof, a simple open drainage system will do. It includes three working components:

• water intake chute;
• receiving funnel;
• drainpipes for connecting the gutter to the storage tank.

• Cink Steel;
• copper;
• an alloy of zinc and titanium.

Scheme of drainage arrangement

Very often PVC products are also used, since they are the cheapest, but long term You shouldn't expect service from them.

The gutter is installed first - it needs to be fixed along the edge of the slope using hooks, brackets or staples. Plugs must be inserted at the ends of the structure.

After this, drainpipes are installed. Their diameter directly depends on the dimensions of the roof: if the area of ​​the slope is less than 30 sq.m., products 8 cm in diameter are suitable, and if larger - 9-10 cm. The first pipe is fixed under the receiving funnel, and then the remaining elements are built onto it, in depending on the required length of the drainage structure. Pipes should be secured to the walls of the building with rubber holders or clamps with self-tapping screws. The step between the clamps is 2 m. The last structural element - the drain elbow - must be positioned at such an angle so that the water flows into the storage tank without delay.

Installation of storage tank

Based on your own capabilities and needs, you are free to use any container as a rainwater storage tank: be it the simplest barrel or a special tank with holes for pipes. As practice shows, the second option is more expensive, but also more convenient to use, so it is recommended to use it.

The container must be made of safe material, which does not dissolve in water and has a constant chemical composition: polyethylene, concrete or galvanized steel. You can install it in two ways:

Rainwater collection container

1. On the ground surface directly under the drainpipe - first place the container in the required place and secure it with supports and brackets, then connect the drainpipe to the opening of the storage tank and close the tank with an airtight lid.
2. With burying in the soil - dig a hole to the size of the container, place a 15 cm sand cushion on the bottom, place the container on it and fill the resulting voids around with sand, and then, similar to the first case, install a drainpipe and close the lid tightly.

Maintaining the Water Collection System

In order to safely use collected rainwater on the farm, it is important to be sure that it is absolutely clean. And to do this, you should regularly diagnose the system and carry out a number of preventive measures. Which ones?

First, it is necessary to clean the roof from time to time to remove accumulated dust and debris. Secondly, during the first rain after a long drought, it is better to disconnect the drainpipe from the storage tank - the first water will wash the roof and drain, and only then you can resume collecting liquid. Thirdly, even at the stage of installing the drain at the junction of the gutter and pipes, it is recommended to install special mesh filters that will trap leaves, pebbles, twigs and other large contaminants. Similar filters can be installed at the entrance of the drainpipe to the storage tank.

Advice. Even if you do not notice a deterioration in the quality of water in the storage tank, the filtering devices of the system still need to be removed and washed at least once a quarter.

As you can see, everyone can organize a rainwater collection system, since there are no overly complex procedures here. But the effect of such a system will be directly opposite to the labor intensity of its arrangement - you will receive a completely free source of water, which will not only make your life more comfortable, but will also allow you to significantly save your finances.

Rainwater harvesting system: video

Rainwater collection: photo