Rain chains

[billconner]

I have a porch with turned classic 6" columns and the gutter contractor attached down spouts to 2 of the columns. I agreed but still don't like the look. So in repainting and thinking about temporarily removing downspouts the idea of rain chains popped into head. The gutter outlet is about 8' from house foundation - just a PT txt for the porch. A straight drop is probably 6 to 8" from the deck edge. A few years ago while putting in a drain line for driveway I extended it to front of porch with idea I could pick up the porch down spouts. Wondering if some sort of pan or urn at base of rain chain and connected to drain line (just goes to ditch at road - pretty good drop) if that would manage the rain from the gutters.

This area is on NY Canada border so long cold winters.

Thanks in advance!

 

[rlitman]

That's not a lot of overhang, so if you do go with this, I suggest a more funnel type of chain. Even with a funnel type chain, figure anything within a foot is in the splash/sprinkle zone, because chains do allow some water to escape, so those spots (on your columns, or railing, or anything close to the chain) may need more frequent cleaning from mold and such.

Other than that, I've owned a few. All home-made.

The traditional way would be to have a large basin at the base of the chain. Something like a 2 gallon cement planter maybe, gives you a heavy enough anchor to GENTLY tie down the chain (from wind), and funnel the water through a drilled hole into your drain culvert (I've always just daylighted mine).

 

[mike93lx]

Something like this below the chain?

NDS catch basin

 

[jhracer]

We replaced our downspout with a rain chain. It drains into a catch basin. It has worked great for us.

 

[billconner]

Thanks for the ideas. I think there are options for base and these look good. I liked the urn idea, maybe more bowl like.

Do center is a little more than 8" from post and rail but just 2 or 3 from corner of deck. I think worth it. Maybe even a metal cover on corner of deck - like a piece of galvanized sheet metal nearly hemmed.

Photos below with one removed. Symmetrical except for bush.

I could just put downspouts back after painting posts but thought chains would look better.

 

[billconner]

We replaced our downspout with a rain chain. It drains into a catch basin. It has worked great for us.

Not a lot of snow and ice for months there is there? I don't know how much that impacts this.

 

[Lassen Forge]

We had 5 months of freezing weather, and we started collecting that frozen water for our water storage.

It works. But you have to be dilligent.

 

[jhracer]

We had 6" of snow last winter and the chain froze solid. Didn't seem to hurt anything. We have 2 16' chains in the back of our house and I was concerned about the weight. Hasn't been a problem in 10 months.

 

[Danno1]

.

A chain will look better than a downspout, BUT,

it will collect a lot of ice (100's of lbs??).


Is it on the sunny side of the house? That would help a lot.

.

 

[rlitman]

Not a lot of snow and ice for months there is there? I don't know how much that impacts this.

I've had mine freeze solid, like an iced over waterfall. Can't say anything bad has happened. It's a huge icicle to be sure, but it's also attached to the chain at the core, so it isn't much risk of falling on someone.

 

[Lorydr]

A rain chain seems like an excellent alternative over boring downspouts.

 

[BurtEggley]

put a rain chain with a pile of small round river rocks on it. The kind the kids can pick up and throw...........