Get Ready Katy for a Hot Dry Summer

While the beginning of summer doesn’t officially start until June 21, 2010, it feels like it started a couple of weeks ago. The hot temperatures made for a fantastic Memorial Day holiday, but if you take a short drive through some Katy neighborhoods you’ll see some lawns starting to brown and some plants beginning to wilt already. I think it’s safe to say that this summer will be a hot and dry one.

I was preparing my watering regiment a couple of weeks ago, and noticed the forecast had rain in it, so I thought I would hold off to see what happened. Sure enough it poured, and my lawn responded almost immediately with a lovely green that I would be happy to take credit for, but alas it was the rainwater that did it. While watering your grass is a must in Houston during the summer, there are different ways to go about it. One of the healthier ways to do this is by harvesting rainwater.

Now I must start out by saying that I currently don’t do this, but I’ve been looking into it. One of the benefits you’ll notice right away is how much healthier your lawn will appear. When we use a sprinkler to water our lawns they get more than just H2O, they get the chemicals we use to purify that water. Though the amount of chlorine in tap water is minimal and, in theory it is not harmful to our lawns, there is an undeniable difference to its appearance after a nice soaking rain event.

Rainwater harvesting can really save you quite a bit of money over time. There are many different set ups for the collection of rainwater. They range from simplistic to elaborate and, as you can imagine, the system that is right for you is dependent upon your intended use of the water you collect. One system actually connects to your downspouts and diverts water through a tube and into a barrel…amazingly simple!

Some would say that it just isn’t worth the trouble to collect a little water, but did you know that during a moderate rainfall the average sized roof can eliminate 160 gallons of rainwater per hour? Just imagine the water you could collect during some of those torrential Houston down-pours! Another fun fact; statistics show that up to 40% of water used during dry months is used outdoors. The water you collect can be used for just about anything depending upon your system and filtration system. I’m thinking the extra water I collect would go a long way to keeping my lawn looking great all year long.

I have stumbled across a couple of websites that have some helpful information about rainwater harvesting. Harvest H2O is an online community dedicated to rainwater harvesting and features lots of interesting articles. Auquascape Inc. has a system that will give you a functional design and a decorative water feature. You can learn more about their systems at RainXChange.com. Feel free to email me if you find a system you like and, as always, I hope this helps.

Stacy is a licensed REALTOR® and the team leader of The Jones Team, a group of REALTORS® in Katy, who work together to provide exceptional service for their clients. Stacy and his team specialize in the areas west of downtown Houston. These incredible real estate agents can help you buy or sell a home in locations such as Katy, Cypress, far West and Northwest Houston, Richmond, Fulshear, Sugar Land, Spring Branch, Memorial, Spring, Tomball, The Woodlands, and Magnolia. Whether you are in the market to sell a home, buy a home, have a question about home appraisal value, need advice about home staging ,or have any other real estate related questions, Stacy and The Jones Team are available to help.