Rain Barrel

Gotta have a rain barrel in this drought in Atlanta. What a great way to save water! This is a Fiskars rain barrel and the reason we chose it was that it has an insert that goes in the gutter pipe that allows the water to go through the gutter as usual once the barrel is full. You don't have a messy hose or overflow with this barrel.

Installing the rain barrel is not as easy as you might think. A 54 gallon barrel weighs 450 pounds when it is full so caution has to be taken to make sure it won't tip over. It could hurt someone if it fell on them. This barrel won't work properly either unless it is completely level and the pipe attachment is also perfectly level. To make this work, you have to be patient and careful as you make it come together.

There is a prettier version of the barrel in terra cotta called Tuscany. I wanted it, but it was nearly impossible to find. While Fiskars will tell you that they are widely sold at Home Depot and Lowe's, the reality is that only a few of the major stores carry it and then not in the style you might want. This is a whole lot better than nothing and the price was only $89 at Home Depot on Windward Parkway in Alpharetta. Next week, after we get some pavestone and get our barrel leveled, we'll have some more photos.