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Re: Collecting rain off of the roof

Square Foot Gardening List - http://myweb.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

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> Friends had a solar water heat unit installed, heating water on their roof, 
> and even with a healthy mix of cold water, it was far too hot for a 
> shower.  I think a barrel of it would take a long time to cool to 
> plant-tolerable temperatures.  If you're lucky, rain will be at 
> night.  Then go for it.  Margaret L
> 

Well no one will know for certain unless someone tests the water.  
But here is my two cents, knowing that it is only opinion just like 
everyone else.

As mentioned before, normal rain water only touches the roof for a 
short period of time.  (try throwing a tennis ball to the top of the roof 
and time how long it takes to come down.)  Unlike a solar water 
heater where the water is circulated through the pipes repeatedly 
thus spending far more time in the sun and on the roof than regular 
run off, regular runoff will not be so hot.  And if the water did take 
the heat of the roof into itself, the roof would be cool after the first 
few minutes of rain and any subsequent water would be ambient 
temperature.  So I would expect that rain water from the roof would 
be pretty much ambient temperature.  Also the short time on the roof 
would also not allow it to leach (significant) chemicals out of the 
roof.  Anyway oil (petroleum products) and water don't mix (just 
look at Italian salad dressing in a bottle, you have to shake it and 
then it still separates) Also if the roof material dissolved in water 
you wouldn't have much of a roof left after the first rain.  Now 
mechanical dislodging is another story, yeah you will get chunks or 
pebbles of asphalt in you water but they will just sink to the bottom 
of the barrel.

Also as mentioned this water goes into the ground anyway and soil 
is an excellent filter, this is what all of the fuss about wetlands is 
over, they are nature's natural water treatment plants.  Also the 
plants themselves are filters to some extent purifing the water that 
reaches the fruit/veggie/leaf/stuff you eat.

-Ron (who jumps in every now and again to post a long message)


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