Rain Chain

Although we certainly appreciate all the useable space our new back patio created, the primary reason for the project was to fix the flooding in our basement. The piecemeal approach to our patio had not only made it completely non-functional, it also served as a huge collector so that rainwater was actually funneled into the basement.

Although traditional downspouts and drains were part of the plan, we also wanted to install a copper rain chain. We found a simple rain chain online as well as a gutter installer that would help us attach it to our gutter. The guys who did our patio added a recessed drain near the footing of our back porch, buried the drain pipe, and connected it to the other drains so it would eventually empty out into the front lawn.  The first step on our end was to find some river rocks to conceal the drain, making it more of a decorative feature. My first attempt at estimating the number of rocks I needed was woefully short. My second go around was better but still lacking. By then, Jonathan was back in town and I brought him along to load up some of the bigger rocks we obviously needed. 

Of course, it wasn’t just about rocks—that was mainly decoration. We also had to replace the gutter since the original downspout was in the wrong location. 

I started by priming and painting a new gutter, along with a new downspout for the side of the house that had been damaged during the construction. Jonathan pulled off the old gutter and attached a new one with a hole drilled for the gutter installer. 

Jonathan also attached the bottom of the chain to the drain so it wouldn’t sway in the wind. 

A quick test with the hose was all that was left to do. Success!