

Many diverters are designed to work with two water barrels. Attach one end of the hose to the diverter and the other end to the couplet on the side of the water barrel. Too much slack will keep it from flowing properly. Next, cut the hose to a comfortable length to reach the water barrel. Replace the section with your diverter and screw in or otherwise mount as directed in the instructions. Once your top and bottom cuts are made, remove the segment of the downspout. Warning: Wear gloves and eye protection when using these tools. If the position of your downspout makes this difficult, you can use metal snips to finish the job. These outline the area that will be removed and replaced by the diverter. Using the instructions as a guide, mark the top and bottom cut points on your downspout with a pencil. If your barrel does not already have one, you’ll need to drill a hole in the side of the barrel and insert the couplet so you can attach the hose there. Use a level to mark the height of the water barrel on the downspout. When you attach the hose from the diverter, the barrel should be equal to the height of the diverter so that water does not run uphill, which will restrict the amount of water you collect, or downhill, which can possibly create an overflow.

Your water barrel should be elevated off the ground with room to attach a hose to the lower spigot. Your diverter kit should come with instructions specific to your kit, but before you start, make sure to visually lay out the area. There should also be screws, a couplet, and caps for the side spout of the diverter. The kit you order will include both the diverter component that will be inserted into the downspout and also the hose that connects it to the rain barrel. The diverter is designed to carry water to your rain barrel, but it will also carry water back to your downspout once the rain barrel is full. Also, spray paint can help you freshen the look or match the color of the house if desired. Your yard and plants would not appreciate that very much. If you're starting out with a used water barrel, make sure that it did not previously have harmful chemicals or gasoline in it. Typical downspouts measure either 2” x 3” or 3” x 4." There are several styles and designs of diverters, but they will all list the sizes they cover, so it's important to be aware of what size you need.
