RAINWATER HARVESTING: IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU? How to Find Out and Get Started
It’s 100 degrees F outside. The sun is pounding relentlessly on the sidewalk. Vegetation is wilting. Meanwhile, you’re huddled indoors, basking in the A/C … until it rattles to a stop. This stomach-dropping scenario happens to hundreds of people every summer. A/C units across America are overstressed right now, and when you run your unit at full blast, it’s more prone to malfunctioning. Fortunately, you don’t have to call in the pros for every little issue. Here are a few DIY ways to fix an A/C problem. 1. Replace your air filter. The experts recommend changing the filter in your A/C system every month. If you don’t do this, it can get clogged and cause your A/C to turn off! Replacing the filter could kick start a nonfunctioning A/C. 2. Double-check your thermostat. We know it sounds basic, but your A/C might have turned off because your spouse reset the temperature, the kids flipped the thermostat from “heat” to “cool,” or the device’s batteries died. Don’t rule these silly problems out without checking them! 3. Clean your condenser coils. Dust, dirt, and pet hair can clog your A/C’s condenser coils and limit the unit’s function. If you’re careful and handy, you can use compressed air or a shop vacuum to clean the copper tubing and aluminum fins composing the coils, which typically form the side walls of your outdoor A/C unit. 4. Test your circuit breaker. It’s possible that the entire circuit covering your A/C has been tripped, turning the A/C off with it. To test this, turn your thermostat off and head to your breaker box and look for any switch in the neutral position. If you find one, push it to off (right) then on (left). Wait 30 minutes, then turn your thermostat back on and set it to cool. These four steps may be the only ones you need to fix your A/C problem! If you try them with no success, then it’s time to call in the experts. Of course, you can also make that call from the get- go if you’re not comfortable DIYing your household systems. We promise they won’t judge you! It’s always better to be cautious than accidentally worsen the problem. How to Troubleshoot a Malfunctioning A/C Take These Steps Before Calling the Pros
Did you know the government has a website where you can track drought conditions in real time? It’s called Drought.gov, and when we visited, it showed 47.52% of the country was in drought. That means water shortages were affecting more than 100 million Americans — maybe including you and your family. Water scarcity is scary. We need water to live, bathe, and grow food! So, what can you do about it? One popular, eco-friendly way to get around cutoffs and shortages is by installing a rain harvesting system. Here’s how it works. Rainwater harvesting is pretty much what it sounds like. You create a system to “catch” the rainwater that runs off of your roof or another surface (think gutters and pipes), then store it in a barrel or tank to use later. This protects the local watershed because you capture the rainwater and use it before it gathers pollution during runoff, and it reduces your energy use by eliminating the burden of water transportation! Rainwater harvesting may be for you if … • You own your own home. • You want to be more self-sufficient and/or lower your water bill. • You’d like additional water for your garden or household. Rainwater harvesting may NOT be for you if … • You rent your property. In this case, you may have to run the idea of adding a rain barrel or other harvesting system past the property owner. • Rainwater harvesting is restricted in your state. Unfortunately, rainwater collection is highly regulated in some states. You’d need to have a permit or abide by certain restrictions. The best way to find out the restrictions in your state, if they apply, is to check the legislation on the official state website. If it’s feasible, get started!
You can build a rainwater harvesting system yourself with supplies from a company like RainWater Harvest Systems (RainHarvest.com) or work with a business in your area like Innovative Water Solutions in Texas. The size, cost, and installation of rainwater systems can vary depending on your home and how much water you store. To learn more about rainwater harvesting, check out the book series “Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond” by Brad Lancaster.
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