When it comes to downspouts, most homeowners are only familiar with pipes and funnels made from metal and plastic. But there’s another alternative to downspouts—rain chains. They serve the same purpose of diverting water runoff from your roof, and installing one will allow you to forego downspout repair. Here’s what you need to know about them.

What are Rain Chains?

Known in Japan as kusari doi, rain chains consist of interlinked ornate cups or bowls where water runoff from the roof can travel downwards and away from your home’s foundation. Some rain chains have large barrels or buckets at the end to gather rainwater for household use like landscape irrigation. Other homeowners opt to direct water flow to their backyard pond. There are plenty of available materials and styles to choose from, ranging from rustic and homey to contemporary and elegant. Aside from being functional, rain chains are artfully designed, adding more aesthetic appeal to your home exterior when compared to downspouts.  

Why You Should Install Them

Rain chains are attached to the gutters where downspouts should be. While fairly easy to put in place, have a professional handle it for proper, effective installation. Since rain chains extend to the ground, a downspout repair specialist will secure these to curb excessive movement and splashing during heavy rain. The link and cups of the chain break the impact of falling water on the ground and minimize soil erosion, especially if there’s are paver tiles, stones, or splash block underneath. Although splashing is likely to happen with an open system like rain chains, this can be mitigated depending on the cup design and open bottoms for better water flow. Unlike downspouts, rain chains are beautiful, easy to maintain, and do not require frequent cleaning to remove debris or clogs.  

If you’re interested in installing rain chains to your home, rely on friendly professionals at Gutters Unlimited. Serving residents throughout Comal County, TX, they have consistently provided excellent services like downspout repair and gutter replacement for over 25 years. Call (830) 907-3511 to request an estimate, or check out the website to learn more about gutter installations, downspout repair, and other services.