You may be wondering whether it’s useful to collect rainwater on a balcony since you can use this tactic to dramatically improve your life if you are facing problems of water shortage in your area.
Collecting rainwater is an efficient strategy that not only provides you with clean water but is also a fun activity to get you in the mindset of accumulating resources from the external environment to meet your daily needs.
Most people would find it a little strange to do this, but if you have a balcony and are experiencing a lot of rainfall, you can easily collect a large amount of water for various purposes, such as reducing your water usage bills and watering your garden and plants.
One of the major reasons why people want to know if it’s possible to store enough water by collecting rainwater is because they might be living in a location with restricted water resources.
If you don’t get enough water from the relevant authorities, you may be hiring vehicles that transport water to your doorstep, which can get a little pricey.
Let’s explore how to collect rainwater and the reasons for doing so in more detail.
Collecting Rainwater Reduces Water Usage and Bills
If your city or area is experiencing a lot of rainwater in the monsoon season or throughout the year, you may be inclined to collect and reuse rainwater by collecting it on your balcony.
This is especially useful since it reduces your need to rely on a water source from relevant authorities and puts the power in your hand.
If you’re living in a rented property, you may be spending extra money on paying your water and utility bills, resulting in your need to rely on alternative sources of water to save money for a rainy day (pun intended).
If you live in a gated community and a posh neighborhood, you may have higher water bills than other places, which can be annoying and force you to meet your water needs from elsewhere.
One of the easiest ways you can store water is by collecting rainwater, which is a tactic used by many people to reduce water usage from the plumbing in your home.
It is also entirely free, which means that you have nothing to lose by giving it a try to see if it’s sustainable and whether you can make collecting rainwater a fun activity.
You Can Use Rainwater to Water Your Plants
Many people these days really enjoy having indoor plants, and you may have encountered at least one person who’s seriously enthusiastic about turning their living room into a garden.
Plants release oxygen during the day, which can be quite beneficial for your day-to-day activities since there is more oxygen available in your home, and you do not have to frequently worry about cross ventilation.
If you’ve got a balcony, you can easily collect rainwater and use it to water your plants by using containers to carry it.
This is also applicable for back or front gardens since you can easily carry large containers from the balcony to your garden, making it easy and worthwhile to water your plants and trees using this underrated tactic.
If you’ve already got most of your plants on the balcony, this is an ideal strategy to use since you don’t have to worry about spilling water indoors as you carry large containers around and outside the house.
There is no Water Source on Your Balcony
Gardening on your balcony is a popular hobby and pastime for many people, but sometimes you’re just not bothered to put in the effort to water your plants, which is why you can make the task easier by relying on rainwater falling on the balcony.
People with gardens on their balconies often start to get a little annoyed once the exciting aspect of indoor gardening starts to fade and the responsibility for having to look after your plants on a daily basis starts to kick in.
You may have spilled water on many occasions inside your home while carrying it to your balcony and may have even spoiled a carpet or rug and had to spend extra time drying it out after the mishap.
There’s nothing worse than soaking your sofa and furniture by accident and having to spend a lot of time cleaning it up, which is why you can look up several tactics for collecting rainwater from your balcony to water the plants.
It’s pretty easy to find detailed instructions for collecting rainwater depending on your housing situation, and strategies can vary depending on the size of your apartment or bungalow since you probably won’t fit 55-gallon drums in your tiny apartment but can easily store water if you have a massive garden and home.
Depending on your housing situation, rain-collecting tactics can vary, and you do not need to panic if you’ve got a small apartment.
Strategies For Collecting Rainwater
Once you’ve decided that you want to try and collect rainwater, you will need three things to get the ball rolling.
Find Appropriately Sized Containers
Before collecting rainwater, you need to find the right-sized containers for collecting and storing purposes so you can easily store them in your home and carry the water safely without spilling water on the furniture or in your living room.
You may also want to find containers (such as this) with an airtight lid to ensure that the water stays uncontaminated by preventing any insects or dirt from entering the water source.
Mosquitoes love to breed near water, which is something everyone wants to avoid when storing water in their home.
Set Up Your Containers
If your balcony is at an angle to the sky, it might take longer for you to collect rainwater, especially if you live in an apartment building with a ceiling on your balcony.
However, you can still set up your containers in a way to angle them out against the edge so more rainwater can find its way into the containers.
You should ensure that you’ve set up the container securely so that it doesn’t risk toppling over and falling down the balcony, which can be disastrous.
Containers should be set up properly only when it’s about to rain so that your balcony does not become congested due to a lack of available space.
Store Your Container When It’s Not Raining
You should ensure that your water container is stored safely away to avoid congesting your balcony and use an airtight lid to prevent any chances of contamination.
If you’ve got a decently sized container, you may want to keep it in a corner or underneath a table so that it’s not in the way, allowing you to store it properly when it’s not being used and use it when the forecast predicts rainfall.
Use an Umbrella Funnel to Collect Rainwater in a Barrel
One of the simplest ways of collecting rainwater is to rely on an umbrella that funnels rainwater into a container.
Another easier tactic is to use an actual umbrella and hang it upside down after making a hold in the fabric, allowing you to drain and collect the water in a barrel kept close by.
Use Flower Decks to Line the Edges of Your Balcony
If you’re looking to maximize rainwater, use it on your plants, you can easily set up flower decks on your balcony to ensure that water finds its way to the plants’ roots.
If you’re growing seeds or having fully matured plants in these flowerbeds, you will likely see a lot of growth by relying on this strategy.
Create a Canopy Using Waterproof Fabric
Another time-tested way of efficiently collecting rainwater is to create a canopy using a waterproof fabric and pole arrangement, allowing you to fill water during the rainy season and store it in a container for later use (such as this).
Many areas with water shortages employ this tactic, which is especially useful for slanted balconies that require an angled approach in setting up the waterproof sheet along the edges of your balcony to maximize water collection.
Water Quality and Treatment
When collecting rainwater on a balcony, it is important to consider the quality of the water before using it for any purpose.
Rainwater can pick up pollutants such as bacteria from birds and other animals and chemicals from roof materials. Therefore, it is crucial to treat the collected water before using it.
There are several water treatment options available for rainwater collected on a balcony. One option is filtration, which can remove some germs and chemicals from the water.
Another option is chemical disinfection, such as chlorine or iodine treatment, which can kill some germs but does not remove chemicals or toxins.
Boiling the water is also an effective way to kill germs, but it will not remove chemicals.
It is important to note that the type of treatment needed will depend on the intended use of the water.
For example, if the collected rainwater will be used for drinking, it will need to be treated more rigorously than if it will be used for watering plants.
In addition to treating the water, it is also important to keep the collection system clean and well-maintained to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and other contaminants.
This can be done by regularly cleaning the collection tank and gutters, and ensuring that the collection system is properly sealed to prevent the entry of insects and other pests.
Overall, collecting rainwater on a balcony can be a great way to conserve water and reduce your environmental impact.
However, it is important to take proper precautions to ensure that the collected water is safe for use.
Calculation of Water Savings
To understand how much water you can collect from your balcony, you need to calculate the catchment area and the amount of rainfall in your area.
We can use the Rainwater Collection Calculation Formulas and Equations from watercache.com to estimate the amount of water we can collect.
The formula is simple: Roof Area (ft2) X Precipitation Amount (in) X 0.623 = Amount Collected (gallons).
For example, if you have a 100 sq. ft. balcony and it rains 1 inch, you can collect 62.3 gallons of water.
To make this calculation more accurate, you can use the Rainfall Calculator for Rain Barrels from gardeners.com.
This tool estimates how many gallons of water you can collect based on the dimensions of your roof and the amount of rainfall in your area.
For instance, if you have a 200 sq. ft. balcony and it rains 1 inch, you can collect 124.6 gallons of water. That’s enough water to fill up a bathtub twice!
By collecting rainwater, we can save a significant amount of water and reduce our water bill.
According to balconyboss.com, a single rain barrel can save up to 1,300 gallons of water during the summer months. This means that we can use this water for watering plants, washing clothes, and even flushing the toilet.
Overall, collecting rainwater on a balcony is a simple and effective way to conserve water and reduce our environmental impact.
With a little bit of effort and investment, we can save money and help protect our planet.
Final Verdict
Collecting rainwater may seem pretty strange to someone who’s not used to it, but once you get the hang of it, you will find it pretty useful for reducing your water bills and watering your plants since it offers a free alternative source of water.
If you’re struggling with paying your water bills, you may find that this approach helps you save a lot of money in the long run, depending on how much rain you receive in your area and how much you can efficiently store for later use.
You can also look up other ways of collecting rainwater that are not limited to balconies, especially if you have a front garden since you can use your garden shed’s sloped ceiling to draw water into a container for storage purposes.
Hopefully, the instructions were pretty clear in this article, and you have a fun time collecting rainwater by finding the right containers and using the best strategies to maximize water storage on your balcony.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I Keep the Washing Machine on the Balcony?
It depends, Usually, yes. but depends on what kind of washing machine you have and where you live.
In Dubai, it is illegal for non-owners of apartments to keep washing machines on the balcony. However, you can illegally keep a washing machine on the balcony if:
- You have purchased your apartment in phases
- You are leasing your apartment
- You are a tenant of your apartment
- You are a non- co-owner
- Your building has a laundry room
How to make a DIY rainwater collection system on your balcony?
To make a DIY rainwater collection system on your balcony, you’ll need a few things.
First, you’ll need a container to collect the water, such as a rain barrel or a plastic storage bin. You’ll also need a spout or hose to direct the water into the container.
If you have a covered balcony, you may need to get creative and use a downspout diverter to direct water from your roof into the collection container.
There are many tutorials online that can guide you through the process of building your own rainwater collection system.
What are the benefits of collecting rainwater on a balcony?
Collecting rainwater on a balcony can provide a number of benefits. First, it can help you save money on your water bill by providing a free source of water for your plants and other household needs.
It can also help reduce your impact on the environment by conserving water resources and reducing the amount of runoff that enters storm drains and waterways.
Additionally, rainwater is often better for plants than tap water, as it is free of chlorine and other chemicals that can be harmful to plant growth.
What materials do I need to collect rainwater on a balcony?
To collect rainwater on a balcony, you’ll need a container to hold the water, such as a rain barrel or plastic storage bin.
You’ll also need a spout or hose to direct the water into the container, and possibly a downspout diverter if you have a covered balcony.
It’s important to choose materials that are safe for collecting and storing water, such as food-grade plastic or stainless steel.
How much water can I collect from my balcony during a rainstorm?
The amount of water you can collect from your balcony during a rainstorm will depend on several factors, including the size of your balcony, the amount of rainfall, and the size of your collection container.
As a general rule of thumb, you can expect to collect about 0.6 gallons of water per square foot of balcony space for every inch of rainfall.
Are there any regulations or restrictions for collecting rainwater on a balcony?
Regulations and restrictions for collecting rainwater on a balcony can vary depending on where you live.
In some areas, collecting rainwater is illegal or restricted due to concerns about water rights and public safety.
It’s important to check with your local government or water authority to find out if there are any regulations or restrictions in your area.
Can I use collected rainwater for drinking or cooking purposes?
In most cases, collected rainwater is not safe for drinking or cooking purposes without treatment.
Rainwater can contain a variety of contaminants, including bacteria, viruses, and chemicals from air pollution.
If you plan to use collected rainwater for drinking or cooking, it’s important to treat the water first using methods such as boiling, filtering, or using a UV sterilizer.
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