Rain Water Filter and Diverter
The only rain water diverter and rain water saver which diverts and filters the water before it goes in the water butt, and allows you to turn the diverter on and off by means of rotating the filter basket with an automatic cut off when the water butt is full. Cleaning the filter is a 30 second job. No physical effort or tools needed. Standard water diverters do not filter the water and block very easily. When blocked it is not an easy job to open up the diverter to clean it out.
Benefits
The water saver starts the water conservation process for the following activities:
✿ Watering Garden
✿ Washing Car
✿ Garden Pond
✿ Rain Water Harvesting
Standard diverters have the following disadvantages:
✿ No capacity to collect debris
✿ Allows debris into tub
✿ Difficult to clear, Gutter Mate takes 30 seconds
✿ Blocks very easily
✿ Only one colour
✿ Material not UV stabilised
✿ Part of the Eco Homes specification now states you should have a means of saving rain water.
✿ The filter can also be part of a rain water harvesting system.
Debris Filter
Initially this unit was designed to address the problem which most households have at some time or other - blocked rain water gutters. The main reason for blocked gutters is either installers or householders fit a balloon/bell-type strainer in the top of the drainpipe. This prevents a large proportion of the debris which collects in the gutters from going down the drainpipe. The result is the gutters block and then overflow. This can cause damp walls and rotting roof joists. The weight of rain water in blocked gutters can sometimes collapse the guttering. The Gutter Mate filter allows you to remove the Balloon strainer in the top of the drainpipe and then the rain water will wash the debris down the drainpipe into the filter. This works very effectively. The filters have been in operation since the end of 2004 and to date they have worked as they were designed allowing the users to keep their feet on the ground and not on a ladder. The Health and Safety Executive brought out new regulations in early 2006 with regard to working at heights, the essence of which was that if you can avoid working at heights on a ladder you should do so.
Soakaways and Drains
These are very easily blocked by leaves, moss and sand from the guttering. The filter prevents debris being washed down the drainpipe into the soakaway or drain. Blockages in either of these can be very expensive to fix relative to the cost of the filter. Expensive to dig out, if they are under your yard or lawn. If blocked could cause localised flooding. The construction of the filter is in Polypropylene and is UV stabilised. It will have the same life as the drainpipe and will not fade due to sun light. The filter has had UV tests done by one of the largest guttering manufacturers in the country.
Prevent Flooding, Protect your Soakaway
What is a soakaway? Simply put, it is a type of 'infiltration device', which is an easy way of dispersing surface and storm water. Soakaways enable storm water to be dealt with at the source, rather than burdening our sewer systems. Most UK water companies would prefer us to use soakaways in order to avoid excessive amounts of water washing into the main drainage system and ending up in the sewage treatment works. In storm conditions, there have been many instances where the sheer amount of water has overwhelmed the sewage treatment works, which has resulted in the water company having to dump the storm water and untreated sewage into the nearest river, creating serious pollution. Even if there is no actual flooding, the cost of treating rain water in a sewage treatment works is very high, whereas by using a soakaway, the rain water simply goes into the ground.
Potential Problems
Despite its obvious benefits, soakaways can cause problems if not properly cared for. If a soakaway is inadequately protected, it will eventually become filled with the debris washed down the drainpipe. It's hardly surprising that no-one gives any attention to the protection or maintenance of their soakaway until it blocks and causes localised flooding; unfortunately, the cost of cleaning or replacing your soakaway and dealing with the effects of flooding in your yard or garden could run into hundreds of pounds and the inconvenience could last for days.
Gutter Mate - The Ideal Companion
The Gutter Mate Filter is the ideal companion to go with the installation of a new or refurbished soakaway. Filtering all the rainwater going down the drainpipe, the Gutter Mate Filter is fitted three to four feet above ground level in the downpipe, which means you can regularly remove, clean and re-fit the basket back into the filter without the need of a ladder. By cleaning the Gutter Mate Filter on regular occasions, it will eradicate the problem of debris blocking the filter, replacing the soakaway and localised flooding and its repercussions.
Environmentally Friendly, Cost Effective Rainwater Filtration and Diversion
Despite the fact the UK is famed for its wet climate, the truth is that many parts of Britain experience regular water shortages. In fact, amazing as it sounds, South East England has less water available per person than Sudan or Syria – countries famed for their dry and arid climate. None of us want to stop using water; therefore, the key to water efficiency is to reduce waste, not restrict its use. At the moment, each person in the UK wastes approximately a third of the water they use; it either runs down the drain or is flushed down the toilet without ever being used. So how can a simple leaf filter like Gutter Mater help you reduce water waste and save energy? With a built in filter basket and diverter, the Gutter Mate can eliminate the need to use tap water outside the house. So, rather than using the kitchen tap to clean your windows, wash your cars, water the garden or even flush the toilet, why not use some of the 85,000 litres of rain water that falls on your roof every year? And using harvested rainwater equates to zero energy consumption in relation to using tap water, meaning that by using Gutter Mate, not only do you save money on your water bills, but you also lower your family’s carbon footprint. Are you a property developer? The Gutter Mate Filter is approved by the ‘Water Technology List’, which allows it to be used in the ‘Code for Sustainable Homes’. If a developer is building to this code, the filter can be part of the tax break the developer can claim.
How does it Work?
The Gutter Mate rain water diverter is one of the few patented rainwater savers on the market that can filter all of the rainwater travelling down the drainpipe (downpipe) before it is saved to the water butt or discharged thus providing Soakaway protection. The diverter is unique because it can be turned on and off by simply turning the filter basket. In addition, it has an automatic shut off; when the water butt is full, the rainwater will overflow into the Soakaway or drain. If the user wants to store all the rainwater coming off the roof, the diverter can be shut off and the main outlet of the filter can be piped directly to the water storage tanks, resulting in filtered rainwater that is ready to be used whenever you need.
Helping you to Help the Environment
In April 2009, The Times reported that "Millions face water bill rises up to 29 per cent" over the next five years. With many of us already struggling to pay utility bills, now is the time to become more "water efficient"; thinking more about the way we use water and reducing waste wherever possible.
The Facts
The Gutter Mate Rainwater Diverter Costs so Little but Saves so much
Waterwise, the leading authority on water efficiency in the UK, states that each person in the UK uses 150 litres of water a day, taking into account cooking, cleaning, washing and flushing. About a third of this is wasted; it runs down the plughole or is flushed away without being used. During the hotter, drier months, water used outdoors can amount to 50% of the UK’s daily usage. These figures have increased year on year by at least 1%, and we are now using 70% more water than we did 40 years ago.
The Solution
Using the Gutter Mate Rainwater Filter and Diverter
Instead of using clean, treated water to wash your car or water the garden, why not use the rainwater your Gutter Mate will filter into a water storage tank? Using collected rainwater to wash your car and windows, water your lawn and plants will result in substantial savings on your water bills.Think about how much you could save by recycling rainwater for these everyday chores:
✿ Watering the Garden using a Watering Can: 7-9 litres per full can
✿ Watering the Garden using a Hose: up to 18 litres per minute
✿ Watering the Garden using a Sprinkler: up 1,000 litres per hour
✿ Washing your Car using a Bucket: approximately 15 litres
✿ Washing your Car using a Hose: 540 litres per hour
Use the rainwater in your washing machine
You can also use rainwater for your washing machine providing the right filtration is in place, further reducing your water use from the mains.
✿ Washing Machine: 60 litres
✿ Dishwasher: 40 litres
Sources:
✿ Direct Gov - http://www.direct.gov.uk
✿ waterwise - http://www.waterwise.org.uk
Gutter Cleaning
How can we prevent gutter blockage? The traditional – and ineffective – fix is to fit a bell or balloon-type strainer in the top of the downpipe to prevent some of the leaves and moss from going down the downpipe. What actually happens is the strainer clogs up and the leaves and moss are trapped in the guttering, preventing the rainwater from draining down the downpipe. In extreme situations, the guttering can fill with water and the weight causes the guttering to be ripped off the house, resulting in excessive cost, flooding and danger. To try to combat this, most people will have to climb a ladder to clear the strainer before it becomes blocked. However, with land in short supply, an increasing number of houses are being built with two upper floors. Very few people would risk climbing a ladder to clean the gutters; the only other option would be to use a scaffold or hydraulic lift, which cost hundreds of pounds per day to hire.