How to Harvest & Use Rain Water

Harvesting rain water has become a common practice among environmentally-conscious homeowners. While it might sound like a lot of work, it's actually very easy to get started. Not only will harvesting rain water help you conserve water, but it also can help you transform your home into a healthy place to live. When you harvest and reuse rain water, you can actually generate fresh air inside your home.

How to Harvest Rain Water

For many people who are new to rain water harvesting, the best way to begin is with a rain barrel. Rain barrels can be purchased in a variety of sizes, allowing you to select the rain barrel system that will be best for you and your needs. Once you have purchased a rain barrel all you need to do is install it below your gutter downspout. This allows you to easily collect the rain water runoff from your roof.

Of course, those who are very serious about rain water harvesting may be interested in a more advanced or complex system. There are both wet and dry systems that are available, and the type that you select will depend on the amount of money that you want to invest in your system and the amount of water that you need to harvest.

Using Rain Water to Generate Fresh Air Inside Your Home

Once you have started harvesting rain water, you can begin to use the water you have collected to help freshen the air inside of your home. Here are a few ways to create a healthy home environment using fresh rain water:

• You can use the rain water that you collect in order to hydrate your indoor plants. When you keep your plants watered with rain water compared to tap water you might notice them grow faster and healthier. Your indoor houseplants will generate oxygen for your home, ultimately purifying the air inside your house.
• You can use the rain water that you collect in order to refill any water features that you have in your home or garden like decorative fountains. These water features are peaceful and relaxing, and you can feel good knowing that you are using water that has been sustainably sourced to maintain them. For an extra dose of fresh air, you can consider purchasing a fishbowl that is also a water garden. These innovative items allow you to grow fresh plants and herbs inside your home while utilizing the water from the fishbowl. It's a beautiful decorative item that also helps you freshen the air inside your home.

In addition to keeping the air inside your home fresh and clean, you also will enjoy other benefits when you harvest rain water. You can use the rain water you collect to store water in your toilets or you can filter this water in order to have sustainable drinking water available in your home. Rain water is a resource that is plentiful and it is easy to begin collecting rain water in order to transform your house into a healthy home.