Home Improvement DIY: Rain Chains

Ask any homeowner: rain is one of the majoy challenges of protecting a home and its roof. Whether you live in a dry climate or a remarkably wet one, you'll need to install some sort of mechanism to guide water down a drain.

Some homeowners are suprised to learn that there are options for water drainage beyond the traditional gutter downspout. Recently, a more attractive and very effective alternative has become more prevalent; the rain chain.

What are Rain Chains?

Rain chains originated in Japan. Like downspouts, a rain chain carried rainwater collected from the grutter down and away from the roof. Unlike a downspout, rain chains have two extra duties: elegance and melody. Not only are they beautiful, but they also sound like a day at the spa when the rain trickles down.

Rain chains come in various styles, but if you like DIY projects, these make a relatively easy project, and you can use them to collect rainwater for your garden.

Rain chains are also a great alternative for directing rainwater to a rain barrel for later use in the garden or to service an irrigation system.

A few other uses for collected water:

• Cleaning outdoor services
• Watering grass or outdoor plants
• Bathing pets
• Composting
• Filling an outdoor water feature
• Washing a vehicle

You don't need to attach a rain barrel or basin to all of your rain chains. You can if you would like to, or you can only connect one or two. Using rain barrels is especically nice in warmer, dryer areas where there are water shortgages.

Rain barrels can even come with a faucet and hose attachment at the bottom of the barrel, making it easy for you to access the water. Basins are generally small and won't collect as much water on their own.

How to Install a Rain Chain