Replies

1. 
   nathan_w | Sep 21, 2000 04:28am | #1

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   Have only seen drain chains in action one time, at the Lake Quinault Lodge, in the rainforest of coastal Washington. The rain was indeed falling, not very hard though. The chain was about 3/4" thick link, could not see the attachment. They were, however, beatifull in their form, and function. The water just rolled and sifted around the links. Very enjoyable.

   The lodge is quite friendly, and would probably gladly respond to you through their maintenance man about their success or failure with the chains over the last 90 years.

2. 
   Guest_ | Sep 21, 2000 04:52am | #2

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   I have seen several rain chains used on old lodges in the Cascades and the Sierras. As was mentioned in a preceeding post, I think on all of them the chain was fairly hefty - probably 3/4" thick by 3" long steel or iron links. They seemed to work quite well in moderate rains that were falling when I observed them. I believe they emptied into a type of dry well filled with small river rock, but I don't recall what attachment methods were used at the roof or at the ground. I chains I remember were probably fairly old and were pretty well pitted and rusty.

   There were a couple of discussions of rain chains some time back - you can probably find some posts by doing a search on this site using "rain chain".

   The Japanese have used rain chains, particularly on their temples. There are some web sites listing copper Japanese rain chains for sale - they tend to be a bit pricey. You could find some sites by using your favorite search engine. A couple of examples of the Japanese copper chains are:

   http://home.att.ne.jp/gold/aosara/price.htm
   http://www.garden-gifts.com/ideas.htm
   http://www.japanesegifts.com/aspecial.asp
   While I didn't read them, a discussion regarding finding the cheapest Japanese chains is at:
   http://www.clr.utoronto.ca/WB/webboard/messages/1950.html

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 21, 2000 05:41am | #3

   *Jeez fellas, you mean that what those are??? I always wondered. Used to think they were some kind of tensioning system because some of the chains I've seen where so taught. Thanks.

3. 
   pook | Sep 21, 2000 06:15am | #4

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   "rain chains", hmmmm...a much more fitting and poetical name. thanks for the pointers!

4. 
   Guest_ | Sep 21, 2000 01:00pm | #5

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   What???

   I've never seen this. Tell me more.

   Are we talking about pieces of chain run along the eaves and then hanging down like gutter leaders. This doesn't make sense.

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 21, 2000 03:56pm | #6

   *Thanks for the links. I've never seen those things or even heard of them before. They sound great, but would they work with a house with a big roof? Judging by the looks of them, it doesn't look like they would. But thanks again for the links. I learned something *new* today!Rose

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 21, 2000 06:12pm | #7

   *Ryan,The chains run only where there would normaly be a downspout. I have seen them in Texas and here in Washington. They work well. The only problem some may have is that in high winds, the water does get blown off them and sprayed against the side of the house. That is only an occassional problem and well worth dealing with for the esthetic benefits. The larger the chain, the less problems, but smaller chains can be used. In Texas I saw one with a myriad of small chains at each downspout location instead of one large one.All that I have seen, ran down to a drywell full of gravel. They have not all been tightly strung. But they have all worked well.

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 21, 2000 06:23pm | #8

   *Yeah, but how would they "work" in a freezing environment? I imagine enormous icicles at each corner of the house in the winter time.In Japan I saw copper chains, but I also saw cheap aluminum ones too (like the decorative stuff used to hang lamps in tacky houses). Real light weight and thin, but colored to look like old copper. As long as the bottom end is attached to the ground they don't have to worry too much about blowing around.Nice thing about them is no leaf clogs.Just don't know if they'd work in the winter in northern US...

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 21, 2000 07:08pm | #9

   *I would imagine that if it was a problem, you would have a problem with ice clogging a conventional downspout as well. Difference being, you can go out and knock the ice off the chains, but it would be harder to get the ice out of the inside of the downspouts...

2. 
   Guest_ | Sep 22, 2000 05:58am | #10

   *Wouldn't they leak with all those holes?

3. 
   Guest_ | Sep 22, 2000 09:41am | #11

   *Just keep in mind how much water they'll carry and where it'll go after it reaches the ground.A 30' x 40' house will collect about 840 gals per inch of rain; that'd be 210 gals for each down (1 per corner,) That's about 7 trash cans worth of H@) dumped at each corner! Be sure to move it away from the house.

4. 
   Guest_ | Sep 22, 2000 02:31pm | #12

   *Bob - where did you get that number? (840 gallons for 30x40 house)I could use statistics like that for my multitudinous writing projects. Do you remember where it came from? Thanks!Rose

5. 
   George_W._Johnson | Sep 22, 2000 04:13pm | #13

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   30' x 40' = 172800 sq. in.

   For 1" of rain, that means: 172800 cu. in. of rain

   172800 cu. in. ~ 748 gallons

6. 
   Guest_ | Sep 22, 2000 04:21pm | #14

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   Pook - I suspect that with built-in gutters your drops will be too close to the siding to use rain chain. I've used the Japanese copper interlocking type on a couple of houses (years ago) with copper gutters and never heard any complaints, but I suspect that the water didn't always go exactly where expected. Best application is with a large, Japanese-style overhang, where handling downspout bends is more difficult.

   Watch your metals - copper chain hooked to aluminum (for example) = galvanic action = corrosion.

   Just paint me 'more conservative than ever' about water movement after hurricane Floyd.

   Jeff

7. 
   pook | Sep 22, 2000 04:23pm | #15

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   i've got "built-in" rain gutters on my not-yet-finished cabin....done by waterproofing the fascia with a rubber membrane.
   i'd like to use drain chains instead of downspouts as i find them less ugly.
   however: what kind of chain? how to secure them? and do they work, or will wind spray all the water back on my house?
   any suggestions much appreciated!