As a rain barrel company, we answer lots of questions about rain diverters for barrels, tanks and cisterns. Just how do you get water from your roof downspout into a rainwater storage system, anyway?
If you need a basic primer, click the button for our beginner's guide, Demystifying the Downspout Diverter:
This article covers next-level techniques for pre-filtering rainwater to keep your rain barrels and rain tanks muck-free.
Read on to learn about leaf eaters (a.k.a. debris excluders), why they are more effective than first flush diverters, and how to upgrade your leaf eater with a fitted hood.
The suite of products featured below simplifies rainwater collection, filtering it on the way into your tanks for cleaner storage.
Jesse demos the Hood Upgrade for Leaf Eater (above).
Read on for details about the Leaf Eater and compatible Rain Diverters.
Start with BlueBarrel's standard Downspout Diverter
For any rain barrel system, we recommend a flexible-fit, rubberized downspout diverter, available in three sizes in our online store.
The diverter head intercepts rainwater from the downspout and redirects it into your rain barrels or tanks. When barrels are full, the diverter redirects excess flow down the existing downspout automatically.
For more about the downspout diverter, click here.
Next, add a Leaf Eater
Leaf Eater vs. First Flush
The Leaf Eater (a.k.a. debris excluder) is the most popular accessory we sell, available in our online store. It is a robust, stainless-steel pre-filter that is easy to install. Put this piece a few inches above your rain diverter to keep leaves, insects, roof gravel and more out of your barrels.
Maintenance is easy, too. Simply pop the screen off using the pull-tab, and shake it off as needed.
Many folks ask us about first flush diverters. We find the Leaf Eater to be a much simpler and more effective method for pre-filtering rainwater. Click the button to learn why:
What if My Downspouts are Not Compatible?
We carry diverter kits for 2" x 3" and 3" x 4" rectangular downspouts, and round downspouts between 3" and 4" in diameter. This covers most standard residential and industrial sizes.
Do you have a different size, or maybe a completely different roof drainage system like rain chains or scuppers? The Leaf Eater can be used as an adapter for any kind of downspout.
Leaf Eater as Adapter
A Leaf Eater is a standard upgrade to any rainwater system, and is highly recommended for keeping leaves, mosquitoes, and other debris out of your rain barrels or tanks in any case. Also known as a debris excluder, it is one of our most popular accessories.
The great thing about the leaf eater is it adapts to any of the standard sizes listed above—round or rectangular! Installation, while simple, does require a clean cut to the downspout. So you can replace the lower segment of your downspout with a compatible material, and install your Downspout Diverter as normal.
The "leaf eater-as-adapter" solution is so versatile, it doesn't matter what's going on "upstream" of the leaf eater, as long as you can funnel water onto the screen in one way or another.
This suite of products makes rainwater collection easy, filtering it on the way into your tanks for cleaner storage.
Are you ready to set up your own system? Step through our online planning tools to customize a rainwater system for your place, and contact us with questions. We're here to help!
Article by Jesse Savou, MA Ecological Design, ARCSA/ACCE Certified Rainwater Harvesting Professional. Graphics by Olivia Loughrey, MS Ecological Design. Photos contributed by BlueBarrel customers all over the USA!
