subject: Copper Rain Chains Give Any Home a Distinctive Look [print this page] Copper Rain Chains Give Any Home a Distinctive Look
For people who want to have something just a little different, copper rain chains are an answer to a prayer. They take the place of downspouts running from a home's gutters. Then when it rains the water runs down from the gutter to the chain. From the chain, the water can either go into a prepared drain field or into a water barrel.
Rain chains first made their appearance in Japan many years ago. While they can be made of just about any metal, copper is the most common. People choose copper because of its rich color and its beauty as it ages. Copper is also the traditional metal for the rain chains.
One reason that people have chosen to use copper rain chains is so they can save the rain water. There are many parts of the United States where watering lawns and gardens is restricted because of drought conditions. Using a rain chain makes it easy to collect the water. The chain can just hang into a barrel. The water goes into the barrel to be used for watering the yard or garden.
Copper rain chains are also decorative. They add more value to the home than do traditional downspouts. They make a home stand out. The rain chains come in different styles. They are found as a simple chain and can come in many sizes of links. They can also come in many decorative styles. One style that is frequently seen is a chain that is made of many interconnected rings. Or they can have decorative touches. For example, there is a style of rain chains that have a sprinkling can at the top, so it looks as if the rain is pouring from it.
Copper rain chains can also not look like chains. That kins are made up of a series of cups. The cups can look like funnels that send the water down from one to the next. The styles can be combined to have links with the cups spaced every so often in the chain. It doesn't matter what style the chain is, they all work the same.
The rain chains are easy to install. They come with directions and only need a few tools for the typical home owner to install them. If the chain isn't going to go into a bucket for the water to be collected, it is important to make sure that the chain ends in a proper drain field to keep it water out of foundations. The chains can be left up during winter; they make a great base for free form ice sculptures. However, if the weight of ice is a worry they can quickly be taken down for the winter.
For the homeowner who wants to have a little extra something on their home, copper rain chains are good solution. They are easy to install, and can enhance the look of a home in just a few minutes. They are practical as well as decorative since they make it easy to save rain water.
