need some advice on setting up a rain harvesting setup at home

Good call on the finer mesh, but honestly, as a first-time homeowner who's still figuring out how often gutters even need cleaning (spoiler: way more than I thought), I'm not sure adding another thing to clean regularly is my jam right now. 😂 I mean, you're right - nothing's totally hands-off - but I'm aiming for minimal hassle. Maybe I'll regret skipping it later...but future me can deal with that!

I hear you on the hassle factor - been there myself. But honestly, skipping the finer mesh now might mean more headaches later. I learned this the hard way after a storm clogged my rain barrel intake with leaves and debris. Ended up overflowing and pooling near my foundation...not fun. Maybe consider a coarser pre-filter or leaf diverter? Not perfect, but strikes a decent balance between low-maintenance and keeping things running smoothly. Just my two cents from someone who's been through the soggy mess already, lol.

Fair points raised here. I've found that a simple leaf diverter does help, though it's not foolproof. Still, better to deal with minor maintenance now than foundation issues later...trust me, that's a headache you don't want.

"Still, better to deal with minor maintenance now than foundation issues later...trust me, that's a headache you don't want."

Couldn't agree more - I learned this the hard way. Had a rental property years ago where tenants let debris pile up, figured it was no big deal. Fast forward, gutters overflowed, water pooled, and ended up costing me thousands in foundation repairs. Lesson learned: leaf diverters plus regular checkups save a lot of grief down the road.

Interesting point about leaf diverters...but I'm curious, have you looked into first-flush diverters too? They're supposed to help keep contaminants out of your harvested rainwater. I've installed a few systems, and clients often overlook how much dirt and bird droppings end up in their tanks without one. Wonder if anyone here's tried both setups and noticed a big difference in water quality or maintenance hassle...