Visited a tiny house build in Vermont last month that changed how I think about gutters

I was checking out this off grid cabin my buddy's been working on up near Stowe, and I noticed he had his gutters feeding straight into a buried 55 gallon drum. He rigged up a simple first flush with a PVC pipe and a ball valve that lets the dirty roof wash go right onto the ground before the clean water hits the barrel. Cost him maybe 30 bucks total and he's got backup water for months. Has anyone else tried a cheap first flush system like that, or do you just filter everything after?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese_lee91mo ago

Right, because who needs a functioning ladder when you can just drown the basement?

faith_shah881mo ago

I've been dealing with a similar issue in my own house and it's honestly exhausting. You spend all this time and money trying to keep things dry and functional, and then something like that happens that just makes you want to throw your hands up. It's not just about the water either, it's about the feeling that nothing ever goes right with these older homes. I totally get the frustration and you're not alone in feeling like you're fighting a losing battle sometimes. Hang in there, because I know how much this stuff wears on you after a while.

vera1951mo agoTop Commenter

@faith_shah88 Wait, your basement flooded or something? That's awful!