What Is A Downspout Filter And What Is It For?

If at any time you have considered placing a tank to remove the rainwater from the roof and use it later, surely you want it to reach the tank as clean as possible. Well, for this there are downspout filters. It is a device that allows the rainwater that passes through the different sections of a gutter system to be filtered. A downspout filter can prevent impurities from entering the tank. This means that the tank will not have materials that spoil the water that you surely need.

What Is A Downspout Filter?

As we have mentioned before, these filters are placed in the gutter installation, specifically in the downspouts, usually in those that have water recovery tanks, to filter and eliminate impurities or contaminant remains.

In general, filters use a mechanical action to separate the waste from the water. This is usually done by means of a metal mesh placed in a section of the downspout so that the impurities continue down the downspout and the clean water comes out through a conduit that connects the downspout to the tank.

There are different types of filters for downspouts but, whether you have aluminum gutters or any other material, it is necessary to have the help of professionals in the sector to carry out the installation, since it is a modification of the original assembly.

What Are Downspout Filters For?

Downspout filters are used to obtain clean water from all the residues that are carried by the rainwater on the roof and that fall into the gutters.

They are based on gravity to make the water circulate through a grid in which all the waste or impurities accumulate.

Specific filters can also be added to retain metals or oils that may come off the surfaces.

These types of filters offer non-potable water so that only rainwater can be reused for cleaning or irrigation. But it is also possible to install a tank with a disinfection and purification system that allows drinking the water and also to get drinking water in areas where there is no access to it.

In addition, rainwater can be used to clean and purify in situations where it is intended for domestic use.

In any case, it is necessary to remember to do the periodic maintenance of the filters to guarantee their correct operation.

Types of Rainwater Filters

Rainwater filters are found in different shapes, sizes, capacities, and types of filtration. The choice of one or the other will be key to the proper functioning of the rainwater system. Rainwater filters can be classified into two large groups:

Filters for external water tanks. These types of filters are generally placed outside the tank, just before the rainwater inlet. The most common is that the filters are installed in the downspout of the house gutter and that said downspout is connected to the tank. These filters are called downspout filters, and they can be of different sizes depending on the diameter of the downspout and the collection deck area. The larger the collection cover, the more retention capacity the filter will have. 

Filters for underground tanks. They normally have a greater filtering capacity than those of external tanks. The most common is that they are placed in the downspout or even in the tank itself.