{"id":21226,"date":"2022-10-31T14:35:07","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T14:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/?p=21226"},"modified":"2022-10-31T14:35:08","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T14:35:08","slug":"what-homeowners-should-know-about-rain-barrels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.anthonydidonato.net\/wordpress\/what-homeowners-should-know-about-rain-barrels\/","title":{"rendered":"What Homeowners Should Know About Rain Barrels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sustainability is trending, especially among young buyers, and an aesthetically pleasing rain barrel offers cost savings and curb appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outfitting a house with a rain barrel does more than collect and conserve rainwater: It saves money, too. Well-placed rain barrels help cut utility costs by collecting free water for gardening, lawn watering or even washing the car. And homeowners are taking note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere has absolutely been an increase in the popularity of rain barrels in the last decade,\u201d says Francesca Corra, a Los Angeles\u2013based landscape designer(link is external)<\/a>. She says that drought and mandatory water restrictions have highlighted the need for water conservation in California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A rain barrel might sound like a breeding ground for mosquitoes or a potential eyesore, but it\u2019s surprisingly easy to maintain and to camouflage these cost-cutting green home features. Here\u2019s what to know if your clients want to add a rain barrel or spruce up an existing rain barrel before a home resale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of Rain Barrels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Interest in rain barrels is rising, but as with many green concepts, the learning curve is still vast. Real estate professionals have a unique advantage in educating clients who don\u2019t know much about this affordable water conservation solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all, says Corra, homeowners were once concerned that solar panels could detract from a home\u2019s appeal. Now? Fifty-two percent(link is external)<\/a> of American homeowners have already installed, or given serious thought to installing, solar panels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rain Barrels Conserve Water<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of the most important things everyone should be looking at right now is ways to retain any rainwater that falls on our properties and not send it out into the street. Is one rain barrel the solution to our drought problem? No, it is not. However, it does help,\u201d Corra says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have easily saved at least 500 gallons of water so far this spring and summer,\u201d says Laura Peet, a homeowner and gardener with two 50-gallon rain barrels on either side of her Charlottesville, Virginia, home. Though Virginia is far less prone to droughts than are desert regions in California or Arizona, Peet says the clay soil tends to dry out quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rain Barrels Keep Landscaping Lush<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhatever amount [the rain barrel] keeps from going out into the street is water saved for the plants in the garden,\u201d says Corra. \u201cTrees, especially, will always need more water, and they are in danger right now as more and more people are turning off their irrigation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peet uses rain barrel water to keep her raised vegetable gardens lush. Tracey Zeeck, a communications director(link is external)<\/a> and homeowner outside Oklahoma City, also enjoys using her rain barrel as an accessible, above-ground water source for gardening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s fun to capture it and use it when you want to\u2014free water!\u201d Zeeck says, adding that her husband thinks the plants thrive more when watered with harvested rain versus chlorinated city water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rain Barrels Attract Eco-Conscious Buyers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no denying that more and more clients care about going green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fifty-one percent of real estate professionals<\/a> say their buyer clients are interested in sustainability, according to National Association of REALTORS\u00ae data. Twelve percent of homeowners<\/a> cite green home features as a reason for purchasing their current home, and 10% consider \u201clandscaping for energy conservation\u201d to be \u201cvery important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rain barrels can play a small but important role in sustainability and water conservation. Saving rainwater \u201ccreates an awareness that we are doing something to help our environment,\u201d says Corra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Prevent Problems With Rain Barrels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Conserving water is excellent, but homeowners also need to keep their rain barrels from becoming problematic. Breeding insects can quickly destroy the tranquility of a yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what experienced rain barrel owners suggest for maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n