Barrel for a summer shower: features of choice and
Improvement of the suburban area is impossible without the construction of a summer shower, because it is not only a way to maintain personal hygiene, but also the opportunity to refresh yourself during hot weather. The simplest and most effective method for solving this problem is to build a summer shower from a barrel with your own hands. We will tell how to choose and how to install a barrel on a summer shower.
Features of the shower tanks
Requirements
The average summer cottage has no engineering communications, the maximum of what can be held there is an irrigation system, which is turned on extremely rarely. Arrangement of own well is expensive, and many gardeners have to be content with alternative methods of water supply. Simply put, water has to be picked manually from a well or spring.
The holiday season in the countryside is summer, but how can we manage in the heat without the opportunity to take a shower, especially after working in the garden, in the garden or in the workshop? The answer to this question was a simple design: a water tank installed at a height of 2 - 3 meters, having a spout with a shower head.
However, not everything is as simple as it seems, and first we need to determine which reservoir we need.
We list the requirements that must be met shower tank:
- Water resistance. The product should consist of a completely waterproof material that does not absorb or pass water, is not afraid of corrosion and does not enter into any reaction in the aquatic environment;
- Tightness. The design of the tank must be completely sealed and exclude any unauthorized fluid leakage. This requirement is particularly relevant for prefabricated or welded structures;
- Mechanical strength. In order to safely maintain the weight of the liquid inside, the barrel must have sufficiently strong walls. In addition, they must withstand possible accidental impacts, heat, wind pressure, etc .;
- Sufficient volume. The capacity for the shower stall should hold at least 50 liters; optimal volume - 120 - 200 liters;
- Convenient form. The product will have to be mounted at an altitude of more than 2 meters, and, given the weight of 100 - 200 kg, it is much more convenient to do, provided that the shape of the tank is suitable;
- Environmental friendliness. The material from which the water reservoir is made must be completely safe and not release any toxins, allergenic agents and other undesirable compounds.
Note! Considering the latter requirement, it is necessary to select a barrel as carefully as possible, especially if it is found at a landfill and its purpose is unknown to us. It is better to spend money than health.
Materials
The criteria listed in the previous section correspond to only two classes of materials - metals and plastics. Glass does not suit us because of fragility, and other substances are either too expensive or short-lived.
From metals can be used such:
- Steel. The tank must be enameled or galvanized from the inside to prevent corrosion;
- Aluminum. Aluminum barrels are well suited to the role of shower tanks, as they are not afraid of corrosion and weigh little enough, which makes installation easier;
- Stainless steel. The most suitable option, the water does not bloom and does not deteriorate, the material does not corrode, very strong and thin walls.
Note! Recently, the expediency of using metal tanks raises more and more questions, since polymers are much cheaper, more durable and more convenient.
If we talk about plastics, then you can use a large number of types of them, but polyethylene, polycarbonate, polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride are best suited. The most safe is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is used for the production of containers for drinking water and food products. All kinds of barrels, cubes and tanks of this material are sold everywhere.
Note! If in your barn there is no metal tank suitable for a shower cabin, then you should not reinvent the wheel, it is better to go to the hardware store and buy a ready-made plastic tank. Its price is available to everyone.
Form and volume
An important factor is the shape of the vessel. Cylindrical, rectangular and flat products can be encountered. Classical barrels of the cylindrical shape are the least convenient, but in the case of metal, they have an advantage due to the smaller number of welds.
It is more convenient to mount and fix cubic containers, as they are more stable. In most cases, it is enough just to put such a tank on a plane or frame and lightly fix it with collars or to enclose sides, and the vessel will not go anywhere.
However, the most acceptable and convenient form is a flat tank. This is essentially the same parallelepiped, only its height is much less than the area of the base. This form makes the tank very stable, the weight is distributed evenly, in addition, it can replace the roof of your shower.
Note! The flat form has one more important advantage - the increased area of heating from solar radiation.
A flat vessel can be purchased at a building store at a fairly reasonable price - from two to five thousand rubles, depending on the capacity and configuration.
Moreover, it will be a special tank for the shower with all the necessary openings and a mounted sweep, spout, comfortable throat for filling and, if necessary, heated by heating elements and a thermostat.
Installation
The main problem with the installation of the vessel is safety. Due to the large weight of the filled tank, it is quite stable, but it is important not to allow it to fall into the shower.
As a rule, on the site of a future installation, a reinforced structure in the form of flooring is made of thick boards of 150x50 mm or a frame of 100x100 or 150x150 mm timber. However, a steel frame will be more reliable.
The cylindrical barrel is additionally fixed with cable ties, chains or metal strips in order to avoid the displacement of the empty vessel by the wind. Cubic containers are fixed in a similar way, but for them it is enough to make restrictive rims or stops.
The easiest way to do this is with flat tanks, since their windage is so small that there is no point in worrying about the wind. The most rational approach is to buy a flat tank and build a booth frame under it, so that it simply becomes on the supporting posts and bars of the upper trim.
For reinsurance, you can fix the product with canvas belts or clips at the bottom. The instruction does not impose here special requirements.
Note! When installing the main thing - to make a solid and reliable supporting structure. To fix the product from the shift in the horizontal plane of labor is not.
Conclusion
Anyone who is ready to work a little on his own plot is capable of making a summer shower by himself. All the necessary information you can find on our website, as well as in the video in this article.