Water

[dancerjodi]

We've been using our rain barrel to water plants in the yard. What a great invention! Attaching a long hose to the thing wasn't working so instead we fill a watering can - not too much work. Last night we found a flaw in this plan however. There is an overflow faucet at the top of the barrel that's left open. We got a ton of water in our basement last night for the first time since we've been in the house (despite lots of heavy rain over the past few years). This is one of those times that I'm reminded of how much I love our shop vac!

From where its coming in, we're thinking that it may be because of the overflow faucet on the rain barrel dumping too much water in a strategic spot. Brian went outside to investigate and the ground was completely soaked in that one spot. There was literally a couple of inches of water in the basement but it was coming in the fieldstone at an odd spot, not near any plumbing or anything (so clearly from outside). Thankfully, nothing important was over it. Most of the stuff we have is raised on plastic shelves or in plastic bins - call me paranoid!

We still have that 15' hose that we had intended to use to water from the barrel - we're going to try and hook it to the overflow faucet to direct the water from the house. Before the barrel was there the drain came off the house and followed a run of gutter pipe down the side yard to the street. Now that it falls directly in the barrel we're learning just how much rain is collected in those gutters. I'm starting to think I should have bought 2 barrels and a kit to connect them. But I digress. I'm still using some of it, which makes me feel a bit less of a burden on the environment. :)

That issue aside, despite not having serious water in the basement in the past years it has been quite humid. Can any of you suggest a good dehumidifier? I never knew they were so expensive (kind of like when I first looked into getting a HEPA filter)! Brian uses the space for painting and smelly gluing, and during this time of year it takes FOREVER for things to completely dry. With last night's flood its pretty stinky down there. And then there are my mold allergies (nothing serious, but still unpleasant).

Comments

[tiamatlady]

One of my outside clients has several dehumidifiers running in their basement for the same reasons, and they did some extensive research. I'll email them and find out what kind, and email you. Worst case I'll be there on Thursday and look them up in the records.

it won't be cheap I'm afraid. :-( But for what you're doing down there and your allergies it will be money well spent.

Standing Water?

[sanguineempathy.livejournal.com]

How do you combat the mosquito issue....

Re: Standing Water?

[tk7602.livejournal.com]

the barrel is closed on the top, except for where the drain pipe enters. there's a metal vent, and metal mesh inside the vent.

the overflow level is a couple inches from the top, so there's no readily available access for bugs.

Re: Standing Water?

[ectropy.livejournal.com]

I've seen that some people recommend putting a few drops of mineral oil in the top, as that will spread and prevent the little buggers breathing.

Re: Standing Water?

[sanguineempathy.livejournal.com]

The Great American Rain Barrel company also recommends 1/4 cup of bleach.....tho' I don't know what this would do to plants... I guess if it were really really dilute...

Re: Standing Water?

[julishka.livejournal.com]

1/4 cup of bleach in 55 gallons of water won't affect anything.

[julishka.livejournal.com]

instead of getting another rainbarrel, have you considered a recycled 55 gallon plastic drum? (i used to have a link to a container company out by 128 somewhere, if i find it i'll post it.)

[lensman.livejournal.com]

If your going to spend the money on a de-humidifier, I'd also recommend you look at the ones that you don't have to manually empty. (They usually have a drain hose something like what you see on the washing machines...)