Rainwater Harvesting System Warranties and Maintenance

Written-by

Richard Burdett

Reviewed-by

Richard Burdett

Updated on

Apr 21, 2023

Rainwater Harvesting System Warranties and Maintenance

Maintenance and Warranties for Rainwater Harvesting Systems

A good rainwater harvesting system is normally fairly low maintenance and comes with substantial warranties for the various components. After initial installation your supplier should provide you with a list of things that you need to do to keep your system in prime condition but, compared to other green technologies, these are simple processes such as giving the guttering a clean once in a while. Find out how rainwater harvesting tanks and equipment fit together here.

Maintaining Your Rainwater Harvesting System

• The primary area you will need to keep an eye on is where the water is initially collected especially if you have trees nearby that can drop debris into the guttering. Normally you will have a leaf catching filter at the top of the array which periodically needs to be cleared, particularly in autumn. If there has been a lengthy period of dryness then it might be a good idea to simply check all the filters after rainfall and give them a wash through.
• The tank is normally designed to be maintenance free although sediment may collect at the bottom over time and it might have to be cleaned at some point. As the water is not being used for drinking or cooking then this is not something you need to worry about too much as it takes a long while to accumulate. Most tanks will collect sediment up to about 2mm a year and you should check it out every couple of years, though it will probably be much longer until you have to do something about it.
• The pump in your rainwater harvesting system is the only component that may well need maintenance or replacing at some point (though many companies offer a warranty for at least a couple of years). These are normally self-contained units however and are designed to last a good while.
• There are different types of filter for rainwater harvesting systems that will need occasional maintenance. Normally you will have a few filters that vary in their mesh size as you get closer to the tank. The large leaf filter may well need clearing every so often, while others might require the filter section removing and washing under a tap to clear them of debris.

With low maintenance issues, you can basically install your rainwater harvesting system and almost let it take care of itself. They have few moving parts, even with the pump installed, and are usually made of materials that are designed to last the distance.

Warranties for Rainwater Harvesting Systems

Warranties will vary across suppliers for rainwater harvesting components but you should expect something along the lines of the following:

• The tank is highly durable and most suppliers offer anything from a 15 year to 30 year warranty
• Pipework and conduits for your rainwater harvesting system should realistically last almost a lifetime in a similar way that your normal drainage system will.
• The pump will have a warranty between 2 and 10 years depending on the system being used but are designed to last a good while.

It’s always a good idea to check with individual companies to see what the various warranties are and to make sure you know what they are and who is responsible for replacing them before installation commences. You can search for installers in your area on our exclusive database and find out what they have on offer.