Rain Diverters, Leaf Eaters, and First Flush (Oh my!)

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

a downspout diverter
Our standard diverter connected to a downspout (with a Leaf Eater installed above it). Photo courtesy of BlueBarrel customer Jan K. in Lanesville, IN.

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:

TWO DOWNSPOUTS
This (beige-painted) BlueBarrel System taps into two downspouts for a faster fill. Leaf Eaters are circled, above each rain diverter. Photo courtesy of BlueBarrel customer Erik D. in Moreno Valley, CA.
double diverter set up
This is another system at Erik's place. He used a second diverter to capture overflow from the first. The RainRouter Selector valve on the second diverter allows him to direct water away from his rain barrels if he wants.

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

leaf eater as adpater options
Non-standard downspouts? Simply direct your roofwater onto a Leaf Eater to adapt!

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. 

Leaf eater with spacer
This photo is from David J. in Austin, TX. He shows us how to use a simple spacer if your downspout doesn't run flush against your wall or post. Nice paint job, too!

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!

Virtual Garden Tour: See a BlueBarrel System Demo

Join us on the Eco-Friendly (Virtual) Garden Tour:

Thinking of adding a BlueBarrel Rainwater Catchment System™ to your landscape? Curious about the ins and outs of a harvesting rain on your property? This video—part of an eco-friendly virtual garden tour series—is a great opportunity to view a live demo of a BlueBarrel System. Jesse will show you around her home garden and explain the process (fairly simple) and benefits (many!) of rainwater harvesting.

Three separate rain barrel systems collect from the downspouts of the 1,350 square foot home in this residential neighborhood. These include: an interconnected 3-barrel system, 7-barrel system, and 8-barrel system. This amounts to a total of 18 barrels and 990 gallons of water storage tucked discreetly along the sides of the house. And with continual drawdown and recharge during the rainy season, the total water savings is substantial. Jesse estimates it is upwards of 3,000 gallons annually, especially when there are dry-stretches between rainstorms.

virtual garden tour: bluebarrel near house
vegatable garden

Ready to get started?

Beginners can get started with just a few barrels and add on gradually. You can surprise yourself with just how much water is available when prepared to collect it, even in drought years. You will get over 600 gallons of high-quality irrigation water with every single inch of rain falling on a 1,000 square-foot roof surface. It's easy to size and site your System, and our easy-to-follow instructions and videos make this a great project for DIY-ers looking to conserve water in the landscape. Plus, your plants will thank you!

Take the Full Virtual Garden Tour!

Many thanks to the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership for producing the 2021 Eco-Friendly Garden Tour with 14 high-quality virtual tour-stops! This tour features gardens in northern California, but many of the eco-friendly gardening techniques (ahem, rainwater harvesting!) are universal. Join us from wherever you are, at your convenience!

NEW! BlueBarrel now offers Gift Certificates!

Give the gift of BlueBarrel!

Perfect for the sustainability buff, green-thumb gardener or daring DIY-er in your life. With highly customizable product offerings, as the gifter you can take the guess-work out by giving a Gift Certificate, redeemable against any purchase in our online store.

Click here to see what our Gift Certificates look like. 

Customize a Gift Certificate:

A printable Gift Certificate will be emailed to you after receipt of payment.

  • Name of the person purchasing the Gift Certificate.
  • We will use this email for the payment transaction. Then we'll send a Gift Certificate that you can print or forward.
  • Enter your phone number if you would like to pay by phone (optional).
  • Enter the name of the recipient, as you'd like it to appear on the Gift Certificate.
  • Enter the name of the gifter, as you'd like it to appear on the Gift Certificate.
  • Enter the gift amount in US Dollars.

This form will not charge you. After you submit, we will collect payment based on the preference you indicated. A team member will email you a printable Gift Certificate after payment is received. Gift Certificates are non-refundable once issued.