It is difficult to find a cottager who does not use rainwater for household purposes. For convenient collection, various devices can be integrated into the drainage system.
Of course, the easiest way is to put an old barrel under the drain. However, in the event of an overflow, it is necessary to arrange for water to be diverted away from the house, otherwise it will wash away the soil, creating dirt in front of the building or, even worse, get to the underground part of the Foundation.
Plastic insert-filter
At a house equipped with a stormwater drainage system, you can use a special plastic water collector to fill the container. It is built between two sections of the downpipe, without dismantling it completely. The body of the water collector includes a branch pipe for connecting the tee nozzle or directly the hose, which will supply water to the storage tank.
As soon as the barrel is filled, the height of the water in the device reaches a critical level, and it begins to pour into the drain pipe.
Thus, the catchment area has overflow protection, which functions on the principle of communicating vessels. Thanks to it, water flows will not wash away the Foundation and seep into the basement – they will go down the drain to the drainage or sewer system.
The water collector has a lid and a strainer. The first one is made of soft plastic, which is easily cut into notches for any shapes and diameters of downpipes (65-100 mm). The net allows you to hold down fallen leaves and small debris.
Such a device is manufactured, for example, by the canadian company Murol. Its rainwater collectors are produced in a wide range of colors and are suitable for pipes not only round, but also rectangular cross-sections.
Catchment elements of a similar design are also produced by the Polish company Cellfast (brand Bryza). However, its products can only be used for round drains Ø 90 mm.
The disadvantage of plastic inserts is only one: passing through them, the water does not completely go into the storage tank, since some of it enters the drain, which means that you will not be able to fill the container quickly.
Rain the valve
The design of such drainage systems provides for a ready-made water collector. This element is a section of pipe with a short gutter: if necessary, it can be opened like a door and fixed in an inclined position.
In this case, the water will start flowing down it directly into the barrel. After filling it, the chute can be easily returned to its place, and the pipe will continue to perform its normal functions. As a filter, a round metal part with frequently spaced holes is used. It is not necessary to install it, but it is still desirable.
Unfortunately, this method of catchment has significant disadvantages:
- First, the valve can only be used with a specific manufacturer’s drain.
- Secondly, it does not have overflow protection, which means that the process of filling the tank will have to be monitored.
However, there is an advantage: the design of the folding chute is simple, and if desired, it is not difficult to make it yourself. To do this, it is best to use a piece of pipe of the same diameter as the drain. All you need to do is make a gutter out of it and fix it in a pre — cut hole in the gutter system.
At the same time, comparing both devices — a rain valve and a plastic insert — we must admit that it is much more convenient to use a plastic water collector.
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