With long-term global water shortages always in the news, it can be very satisfying to feel that you are doing your bit by harvesting rainwater in tanks in Upper Hutt. What is not satisfying is finding that your carefully harvested water cannot be used for consumption, cooking or cleaning because it has become dirty. To help you avoid this, here are our top tips!
The Roof Recce
Your roof is numero uno when it comes to harvesting rainwater. It also, unfortunately, happens to be very well positioned for the capturing of dirty, twigs, leaves, bird droppings and litter that as been blown in your direction.
Your roof can, therefore, get quite dusty daily and this is exacerbated by dry periods in between rains. If you are going into a rainy season, you could let the first few showers of rain drain into the council mains as that water will be carrying dirt. You can then reconnect your rainwater harvesting pipes when there is consistent rain and dirt cannot build up.
Remember, to clean your roof regularly if you are harvesting rainwater and do not apply chemicals or toxic liquids or coatings to the roof surface.
Gutt Your Gutters
As with your roof, when there haven’t been consistent showers, organic material will build up in your gutters and quickly start its own ecosystem. This can also happen if you do not clean your gutters at least once a year. Your gutters should, preferably, be cleaned a minimum of twice a year with a quarterly clean being ideal.
Cleaning your gutters requires more than just scooping out leaves – it will require some smart soaps and gentle brushwork to get the bird and insect droppings, mould and other infestations out of them.
Long Limbs
If you have trees, you will probably not take much notice of them if their limbs are above your line of vision. Their long, lanky limbs will keep growing quietly until one day you notice that they are bearing over your roof and gutters and raining leaves ad nauseam for final collection in your tanks!
Trimming back your trees would be step one and then purchasing gutter covers will be a great boost to your tank cleanliness project.
Freshen Up Your Filters
If your rainwater harvesting is for consumption, cooking etc, then you would have fitted filters and screens to your tank. These need to be checked regularly for leaves, debris, litter and dead insects.
This will ensure your rainwater has easy access to the tank and that no mould or fungus infestations start.
Clean The Tank
The tank itself needs cleaning as well. It is recommended that you do a quarterly tank inspection to ensure no muck is not sitting or growing at the bottom of the tank. If your system is correctly set up then you should have an uneventful inspection every quarter, however, you must do it so that if something has found its way into the system, you can solve it reasonably quickly.
Have other questions on rainwater tanks in Upper Hutt? Give our team of experts a call today!
