FAQ

How do I prevent Mosquitoes from breeding in mirainbarrel?
Unless you already have a mosquito problem in your yard or nearby, you most likely won’t have problems. We suggest you place river rocks in the top tray / lid of your rain barrel to be a mosquito blocker. (Also acts as a natural filter and look pretty too!) If you still are worried, you can purchase our Mosquito Dunks and prevent them from breeding altogether!

How much does mirainbarrel hold?
Due to the nature of the container being only previously used food grade, our rain barrels vary in size, you may see color and size / design variation. We try hard to keep them as similar to our original design as possible. Average sizes are 180L, 192L, 200L, 220L. Each contained various foods we commonly eat at restaurants. Mostly you will see 220L barrels.

What are they made out of?
High-density polyethylene (HDPE).

How high should I elevate mirainbarrel?
At least 12-14 inches off of the ground so you can place a 5-gallon bucket or watering can. Our rain barrel stands are 14″ tall.

How heavy is mirainbarrel when full?
A full rain barrel will weigh over 400 lbs. when full of water so make sure the ground or stand i you place it on is stable, check your rain barrel after the first rain to make sure it’s good, you may need to empty it and adjust it until it sits just right / how you would like.

Is it safe to drink the water from mirainbarrel?
Under absolutely no circumstances does mirainbarrel recommend drinking water from your rain barrel, the rocks in the lid are meant to filter out debris to keep the water inside your barrel clean, neither this filter or the spigot (not intended for potable water) make it safe to drink from your rain barrel at any time.

What do I do with mirainbarrel in the winter?
Take it inside if at all possible, otherwise just make sure the spigot is fully opened to prevent it from cracking when temperatures start to fall below freezing at night.

What do I do when mirainbarrel is full?
All of our rain barrel kits come with an overflow valve, and instructions on how to decide where to place it. The overflow valve fits a standard garden hose. Once properly installed, you will have the overflow, when your rain barrel is full, diverted away from the foundation of your home. We recommend diverting it to a water feature such as a nearby flower bed, pond or rain garden.

What is a rain garden?
Rain gardens are amazing natural gardens that utilize native plants that absorb large amounts of water over a short period of time, thus eliminating that water from the sewer system. This reduces stormwater runoff. (learn more about stormwater runoff.) Rain gardens promote a small natural eco-system while beatifying your yard.

Do you make the rain barrel and compost tumblers barrels?
We do NOT make the barrels ourselves. We are not a plastic manufacturer… simply a re-manufacturer of rain barrels.

Why are the rain barrel and compost tumbler different colors?
Black absorbs heat and therefore is better suited to be a compost barrel. Heat is a critical part of our Compost Tumblers effectiveness.

What are some of the benefits of rain barrels?
Rain barrels provide natural softer and free water which saves you money, lowers your carbon footprint and reduces stormwater run-off helping preserve our Great Lakes and Mother Earth, ALL at the same time. Plus our rain barrel is upcycled and brought direct to the consumer giving it the lowest footprint of any rain barrel on the market. For these reasons and many other rain barrels make your life easier while promoting a greener future.

Where can I buy them besides online?
Our Warehouse (not currently open to the public/by appointment only):
7010 Middlebelt Road
Romulus, MI 48174

Official Distributors:

Sierra Club Great Lakes Program (Detroit)
(313) 444-3705
2727 2nd Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

Downtown Home and Garden (Ann Arbor)
(734) 662-8122
210 S Ashley St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Detroit Garden and Compost
(313)400-6350
Delivery available for Metro-Detroit, prices vary call for more details.
Official mirainbarrel installation available via DGC too!

If you are interested in picking up from one of these distributors please give them a call or contact sales@mirainbarrel.com to discuss details.

Composting sounds like a lot of work, how often do I have to add to it?
Only 2-3 times a week, then give it 3 spins, and you’re done!

Do you install the rain barrels too?
Unfortunately we do not, our rain barrel is designed to be an easy build and a do-it-yourself kit. Please feel free to contact us if you have special needs and we will do our best to accommodate you.

How quickly does my rain barrel fill up in a average rain?
During a normal rainfall, even 1/10 inch of rain can collect up to 63 gallons of water (off of an average 1000 sq. ft roof). This means that most rain barrels will fill up in 5 minutes!

I am a city or municipality and would like to do a truckload sale and/or rain barrel workshop, can you help?
Yes! Please contact us and to discuss details and we’ll try and make it happen, our fleet can travel around the state of Michigan.

I am a teacher and want to do a lesson on compost and/or rain barrels are you interested?
Yes! Please contact joshua@mirainbarrel.com and we’ll try and make it, we love to work with school and non-profit organizations.

Thank you!

-Joshua Rubin

CEO/Owner & Rain Barrel Guru