Things To Place Below Your Copper Rain Chains

Copper rain chains hanging outside your home offer an easy-on-the-eyes alternative to gutter downspouts, but you can't simply hang the chains and fail to give rainwater any further thought. While your copper rain chains will carry the rain from your gutters toward the ground, you don't want the water to pool at the base of the chains — and this is especially true if you live in an area that commonly gets heavy storms. Pooling water has the potential to seep back against your foundation, and while a properly graded yard will go a long way toward preventing this from happening, you still need to have a plan for what will sit below the rain chains. Here are some suggestions.

Downspout Diverter

The term "downspout diverter" describes any type of accessory that serves to carry the water away from where it leaves your gutters through the downspout. Since you have copper rain chains instead of traditional downspouts, however, you can't get a diverter that is designed to clip onto the bottom of your downspout. Instead, a better choice is a ramp-style diverter. This plastic device essentially acts as a ramp for the water, and it will help the rain flowing down through your rain chains to divert away from the house.

Below-Ground Pipe

Another option to consider is digging a trench from the base of the copper rain chains and laying a piece of corrugated pipe in it. Buy the pipe that has several small holes throughout it for best results, and angle the end of the pipe so that it's open directly below the rain chains. Place dirt and grass seed over the pipe. Cover the top with a screen and, if desired, place some large rocks overtop; they'll hide the screen but won't inhibit the water from flowing through the screen and into the pipe, where it will gradually escape through the holes into your lawn.

Rain Barrel

If you wish to collect your rain water, perhaps to use for watering your garden, filling a backyard pond, or some other purpose in your yard, a rain barrel beneath each of your copper rain chains is a smart idea. A large rain barrel will gather a significant volume of water before filling, and you can consider an overflow valve with a long hose attached to it. This way, if the barrel fills before you can empty it, the water will flow through the hose and empty into your yard, away from your foundation.


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