Free Rain Barrel Calculator

Estimate how much rainwater you can collect from your roof based on roof area and local rainfall.

sq ft
in
%

Gallons Collected

748 gal

Standard Barrels Needed (55 gal)14
Liters Collected2,830 L

Gallons Collected vs Roof Catchment Area

How Rain Collection Is Calculated

One inch of rain on 1 square foot of roof produces about 0.623 gallons of water.

Formula

Gallons = Roof Area (sq ft) x Rainfall (in) x 0.623 x Efficiency

Efficiency accounts for losses from gutters, splashing, and first-flush diverters.

Example Calculation

1,500 sq ft roof, 1 inch of rain, 80% collection efficiency.

  1. 01Raw collection = 1,500 x 1 x 0.623 = 934.5 gallons
  2. 02With 80% efficiency = 934.5 x 0.80 = 747.6 gallons
  3. 03Standard barrels = ceil(748 / 55) = 14 barrels

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn More

How to Calculate a Tip - Complete Tipping Guide

Learn how to calculate a tip at restaurants, salons, and other services. Covers standard percentages, mental math shortcuts, and how to split the bill fairly.

Related Calculators