They sell them at walgreens $14.99. I saw them and wondered if they do anything besides let the water run through them. Are they supposed to chime or make noise?

I think they are supposed to be functional beauty, used in place of a downspout. It directs the water down the chain. Some of them are really pretty. I am hoping to keep the rain from digging out a hole in my flower beds every time it rains :) I have stones down where the water hits, but I am hoping this will be a little more directive.

Lisa

I have a backyard patio roof with 2 openings for downspouts. But instead of downspouts we hung 2 rain chains we had purchased online. Since our underground drain inlet was nearly 8 feet away, I placed a 50 gallon rain barrel below one rain chain and a small 15 gallon rain barrel below the other, and secured the end of the rain chain to the barrel with a thin copper wire so it won't sway in the breeze. The overflow is directed out the back of the rain barrel to the underground drain inlet via a plastic flex tubing purchased at a home improvement store.

Now when it rains, the water pours down the rain chain into the rain barrel. It's pretty to watch, almost a zen-like atmosphere. And I can use the water for shrubs during the dry season. There is no added sounds because of the noise of the rain on my roof.

In cold weather do they freeze into a large icicle and become heavy?

Slowpoke, it doesn't freeze where I live. Perhaps someone from your region can comment on whether it's a problem.