Gutter styles
Rain Chains for Gutters & Canales
A rain chain guides water down a chain of cups or links instead of a closed downspout. On a southwestern home, it turns every monsoon storm into a water feature.
- Copper and aluminum styles
- For gutters and canales
- Basins and rock beds below
- Formed on siteSeamless runs cut to your roofline
- Free on-site measureExact footage, no guesswork
- Written priceNo surprise charges on install day
- Pitched & flat roofsGutters, canales and coping
How they work
A downspout you can watch
A rain chain hangs from a gutter outlet or from the end of a canale. Water clings to the chain and flows down cup by cup into a basin, rock bed or rain barrel at the bottom.
They are popular at front entries, patios and courtyards in Corrales, Placitas, the foothills and Santa Fe-style homes, where a plain downspout would look out of place.
Options
Rain chain styles
| Style | Handles | Look |
|---|---|---|
| Cup chain | More water, less splash | Classic, bell-like cups |
| Link chain | Light flow | Simple, rustic |
| Copper | Any | Ages to brown patina |
| Aluminum / painted | Any | Matches gutter color |
In a hard monsoon burst a rain chain splashes more than a downspout, so we place them where a little splash is fine and add a basin or rock bed below.
Ideas
Rain chains on New Mexico homes
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do rain chains work in heavy rain?
Cup-style chains handle heavy rain well but splash more than a downspout. We put a basin or rock bed underneath.
Can a rain chain hang from a canale?
Yes. It is one of the best ways to bring canale water down without splashing the wall.
Will a rain chain freeze?
Ice can form on chains in winter. It is usually harmless if the chain is anchored at the bottom.