Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/.
If we do not hit our goal we will be forced to close the site.

Current status: https://keepboardsalive.com/

Annual subs are best for most impact. If you are still undecided on going Ad Free - you can also donate using the Paypal Donate option. All contribution helps. Thank you.
https://www.boards.ie/group/1878-subscribers-forum

Private Group for paid up members of Boards.ie. Join the club.

Rain water usage in house

2»

Comments

  • #32
    aah yes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 292 ✭✭aah yes


    Rain water is a handy back up to mains or well fed water, and really only needs a bit of carbon scavenging to polish it up, and ultraviolet treatment to kill the bird poo and algae, etc.

    Use RO for lead issues and as a belt and braces back up, if other problem parameters exist, if you want to drink the pre-treated water after. Check for pH reductions in rainwater, sometimes they are an issue and can be quite low, affecting pipes etc.


  • #33
    Buck_Rodgers_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25 ✭Buck_Rodgers_


    HI , Also a company called <ahem, no shilling please - taconnol>


  • #34
    congo_90
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭congo_90


    interesting thread and replies. something that's been on my mind lately. I have 2mains fed tanks in the attic which supply all water appliances. how would I go about integrating my current gutters back in and to the tanks. the gutters are approx .5m below level of tanks so gravity is ruled out? the water from the tank is pumped to appliances etc. thanks!


  • #35
    aah yes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 292 ✭✭aah yes


    Get feeds from all sides of the roof gutters, and divert into a central collection point at ground level, via a sand trap (big 100 Litre size collection pit filled with layeres of chippings and sand) to filter out large particulates like moss, bird poo and other environmental dusts that collect on the roof.

    Channel into a 1000 litre tank next to and below sand trap outside of house, with float level switch in second attic tank to activate a 0.5 HP pump which then sends water to the second attic tank from the 1000 litre tank.

    Arrange ballcock feed from mains water feed lower down in the first attic tank so the 1000 litre raintank gets priority in the fill water to the second attic tank which should be cross fed from the first attic tank and has the plumbed feeds to bathrooms and appliances, and starts to empty first out of the two attic tanks.

    If a lot of water is used at any point and both tanks start to lower in their fill levels, there will be an offset delay in the first tank to the second tank in the water level dropping and finally the mains will kick in on the re-positioned mains ballcock if a lot of rainwater re-fill is being used.

    Look at geting a carbon gac in out cylinder to polish up the rainwater before being fed to attic tanks. Weigh up the use of a 5 gpm ultraviolet lamp after the carbon cylinder, or a submersible ultraviolet lamp in the second attic tank, or both.


  • #36
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 31,828 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Mahatma coat wrote: »
    Good Idea, but I'd be wary about using Industrial Barrels to catch water for Domestic use,

    Depends what they had in them before, mine had orange juice. ;)


  • Advertisement
  • #37
    Feargal as Luimneach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    I use my water butt to collect water for my ponds. The water flow from water butt keeps the water quality good in pond (have newts and frogs:)).
    Here's some photos from a different thread.http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055899571&highlight=photographic+pond&page=3


  • #38
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,989 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    If you have, or can have, a well on the property, then that is in effect a rainwater harvester. Using the ground as a filter.


  • #39
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 31,828 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    recedite wrote: »
    If you have, or can have, a well on the property, then that is in effect a rainwater harvester. Using the ground as a filter.

    Interesting idea, do you mean by having a soakaway adjacent/above to the well?


  • #40
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,989 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    Not necessarily, there would be a soakaway near the house alright, but where does a well get its water from? Rainfall in the surrounding areas.


  • #41
    210
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 186 ✭✭210


    I saw water quality test results from roof water which was being harvested and used as the main water supply for a house a few months back. The level of bacteria was very high - coming I assume from bird droppings. The owner had then to install a system for purifying the water to allow for safe use for drinking & washing. The water would be fine for toilets or watering the garden but I would be very wary of using it for showers or washing with.


  • Advertisement
  • #42
    looksee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 30,247 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Fifty-odd years ago I lived in a council house in England and we had three taps in the kitchen. The normal hot and cold and an extra one that took rainwater from a tank on the roof and was used for hair washing etc, as the mains water was very hard and unpleasant to use for washing. It was a very simple system - in an area with very dirty air, before any clean air acts - and I do not recall any fuss about cleaning and filtering :D


  • #43
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,989 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    It probably strengthened your immune system :)


  • #44
    duffman21
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 88 ✭✭duffman21


    Hi All,

    I am planning on starting my build in March and i am serioucly thinking about using rain water harvesting. I think it is a no brainer due to the introduction of water charges and due to the fact the water is alot softer (mains water is extremely hard in my area).

    I would like to know what type of systems people went for. I have heard mixed opinions about plastic, concrete and steel tanks and would like to hear from anyone who has installed them and what they think (good, bad etc)

    I have spoken to a few companies and they differ in opinion on whether rwh should be used for showers (toilets, washing machine and outide taps where the recommended uses). Has anyone setup there system to use rain water in their showers and if so what were the results?



    :D


  • #45
    congo_90
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭congo_90


    sorry to drag up an old thread but this is still on the board. I don't want a ground based system. I ideally I want to collect to the tanks in the attic directly
    from the gutters as water in a barrel at ground level requires further plumbing and pumping and complications to make the tank feed off of it until empty then feed off mains.

    some noted problems;

    Its frosty out and outdoor pipes/water supplies are liable to freezing.

    cost of system including low water sensor in barrel.

    in my case of direct feed unless the water is in use it must drain via overflow which despite being put in wrong as per regulations I cannot touch.


Advertisement