Without proper precautions, mosquitoes can breed in almost any standing water around your home.
As the carriers of a range of serious diseases, included dengue fever, malaria and ebola, mosquitoes can seriously threaten the health of your home and family.
It’s therefore important to prevent mosquitoes from breeding around your property – especially in your Rain Harvesting system. Thankfully, with the right equipment and forethought, this is a fairly straightforward and easy task.
Downpipes
Downpipes – especially in “wet” Rain Harvesting Systems – are another favourite mosquito haven.
The best way to stop mosquitoes from breeding in your downpipes is to keep them out of your pipes in the first place. This is achieved by using rain heads with mosquito-proof screens, such as the rain heads in our Leaf Eater range. These rain heads are fitted on your downpipes directly below the gutter or further down the wall to keep mosquitoes and larger critters out of your Rain Harvesting System.
Even in “dry” Rain Harvesting Systems, rain heads are an important anti-mosquito tool because without them, leaves can clog your pipes and prevent them from drying out, creating an ideal breeding ground for these disease-carrying pests.
Gutters
Pooling water in your gutters is an ideal mosquito breeding ground.
To prevent water from pooling and sitting stagnant in your gutters, it’s important to regularly clean them to remove leaves, debris and even dead animals. Keeping your gutters free from detritus is also important for maximising the quality of the rainwater you harvest.
As gutter cleaning is a dangerous task, we recommend that you consider a solution that allows you to minimise the need for gutter cleaning and simultaneously prevent pooled water from becoming a mosquito haven. By installing appropriately-sized gutter mesh over your gutters, you can significantly reduce the need to clean them, as most leaves and debris will simply blow off the mesh, never even entering your gutters.
Pipe outlets
The point at which your pipes empty into your rainwater tank should also be secured against mosquitoes.
This is best achieved with mosquito-proof screens such as our Mozzie Stoppa range. Alternatively, a Rain Harvesting system design where your pipes are plumbed into your tank – for example, with high-flow filters such as Maelstrom – will stop mosquitoes from getting into your system at this potential entry point.
Tanks
You certainly don’t want mosquitoes breeding in your tank, so it’s important to stop them from gaining entry via your tank inlets, overflows and outlets.
Tank inlets can be secured using tank screens (which are legally required in many jurisdictions) or a plumbed high-flow filter such as Maelstrom. Mosquito-proof screens, flap valves or air gaps are best suited to stopping mosquitoes entering your tank via your overflows.
Roof
Leaves and debris can sometimes trap water on your roof itself.
When it rains, this stagnant water (which may contain mosquito larvae) is washed into your gutters. To keep this mosquito-contaminated water from getting into your tank, it’s important to use first flush diverters, which divert and capture the first “flush” of rainfall before allowing subsequent, cleaner water to flow into your tank.
Mosquito-proof system design
By designing your Rain Harvesting system to minimise the threat of mosquitoes from the very beginning (your roof) to the very end (your tank), you can protect your home and water quality from these nasty pests.
Even if this isn’t a legal requirement in your area, it’s obvious that mosquito-proofing your Rain Harvesting system is a wise idea.
For examples of mosquito-proof Rain Harvesting systems, click here to check out our standard system design diagrams.