10 Essential Questions You Need to Ask Before Shopping with Water Butts Direct

Collecting your rainwater is an increasingly popular way of making your garden more environmentally friendly. We’re not short of a raindrop or two in the UK, and at those times of the year where rain is in short supply and a hosepipe ban might be looming, having your water butt water there, ready and waiting to be used, can be very helpful indeed. But it’s understandable if you have a few questions about the type of water butt or rain barrel you might need, how much it costs, and how to maintain it over the seasons. Here, we’ve taken a closer look at a specialist retailer, Water Butts Direct, to see how you can find the perfect one for your garden.

About Water Butts Direct

Are Water Butts Worth Buying From Water Butts Direct?

Of course! From their name alone, it’s pretty reasonable to deduce that they know what they’re talking about when it comes to water butts. With a huge choice of brands, sizes, styles and colours, you’ll be surprised exactly how many types of water butts are actually available.

How Do I Choose a Water Butt From Water Butts Direct? 

As well as having a huge amount of choice on their site, they also have a huge amount of advice on their news and blogs page. Once you have worked out the type of water butt you might need, we suggest narrowing down the categories based on your specifications. For example, search through the smallest sizes if you have a smaller garden or not that many plants to water, and you can also filter by price, style and colour. It’s also worth checking out their Hot Sellers section as this will give you an idea what is popular right now.

What Size Water Butt Do I Need From Water Butts Direct? 

If you want a general idea, then sit down and work out roughly how often you water your garden and how much rainfall you get. If you know approximately how many watering cans you use per day (on average), then you can work out how long a full water butt might last you and go from there.

Saving with Water Butts Direct

Are There Any Water Butts Direct Discount Codes? 

There certainly are! Using a code from our Water Butts Direct voucher codes page is the easiest way to save on their site. You can often find codes that can either get you 5% or £10 off your order. And if you register to receive their email before you make your first purchase, you can also claim 5% off as a new customer. To access this saving, sign up using your email address in the box provided on their site, or wait for the pop up box to appear when you reach their homepage. You will then be sent to code to use directly.

How Do I Find Cheap Water Butts? 

Water butts and rain barrels don’t have to cost the earth, and there are a couple of ways to find the cheapest ones when you order with Water Butts Direct. Firstly, if you know the size, style or colour of water butt you want, then click on that particular option. Once you are on that page, then narrow down the price to your maximum budget (for example, all water butts in that category for under £120). But they also have an Affordable Water Butts page where you can browse their own picks they consider to be particularly great value right now.

How to Maintain Your Water Butt

Where Should I Put My Rain Barrel or Water Butt? 

Firstly, take a look and see where your drainage downspouts are in your outdoor area and see which one is the most accessible. You should also ensure your water butt is on a level surface to make it as stable as possible, and consider raising it using bricks or a platform as this will help with stability and water pressure. If you have heavy rainfall and there is a possibility your water butt will overflow, then consider putting it somewhere you can install a downspout to direct into the gutter. This will avoid pooling water on the ground which can lead to saturation.

What Are the Problems with Rain Barrels and Water Butts? 

Overflow is one of the main problems associated with water barrels because if you don’t have adequate drainage, this could affect paving slabs, your soil and even the foundations of your house. The best way to avoid this is to install and downspout or other type of filter that will direct the water into a drain or gutter. Any body of water in your garden can also attract mosquitos and other bugs. The most efficient way of avoiding this is to put a mesh screen on your barrel, but you can also curate your garden so it becomes a habitat for other insects that are natural predators to mosquitoes. This also avoids the need to use any sort of insecticides.

Do Rain Barrels and Water Butts Get Mouldy? 

If you see black or green particles in your water butt, this isn’t actually mould but either garden sediment or algae, and neither will be harmful to your garden if you use this water. However, problems may occur if parts of your water barrel get clogged or if the water starts to smell and attract bugs. To prevent this, just make sure you clean out your water barrel at least once a year.

How Do You Keep Rainwater From Stagnating in Your Water Butt?

Installing a mesh can help, but it won’t completely prevent sediment from building up. As well as cleaning out your water butt at least once a year, the most useful thing you can do to stop stagnation is to simply use your water as regularly as possible to keep the build up to a minimum. And if you find mosquitoes are becoming quite a big problem, then you should empty your water barrel on a regular basis too. Installing it in the shade and using as dark a material as possible for your water butt can help prevent algae growth, and keeping your gutters and roof clear of debris means that it will be less likely to build up when the water flows into the butt.

How Do I Clean My Rain Barrel or Water Butt? 

Once the water butt has been emptied, lie it on its side and rinse out with clean water, then scrub it with a long handled brush. There are specialist water butt cleaning solutions available, but a more environmentally friendly option is to use a vinegar and water solution.

Installing a water butt can make such a difference to your garden and your water usage. And is especially helpful if you are on a water meter! Ordering with a specialist company like Water Butts Direct means you can have your pick of a large range of products, ensuring you get the most suitable one for your garden, and at a very reasonable price. And they also stock lots more helpful garden accessories such as wormeries, compost bins and bird feeders. If you’re after more garden products, our Home and Garden page is a great source of current discounts including YouGarden and B&Q.

By Anna Scott, 9th August 2022