I get where you’re coming from, but for me, cup chains were a headache no matter how much I tried to “hack” them. I’m in a spot with a lot of maples and oaks overhead, so the cups just turned into little leaf buckets—lubricant or not. I did the hose thing too, but half the time it just mushed everything together and made a mess at the bottom. Maybe it’s my luck or just too many trees.
Honestly, switching to link style was way less maintenance for me. Here’s what actually helped:
1. Grabbed some basic stainless link chains (not even the fancy rain chain kind—just hardware store stuff).
2. No cups to trap debris—leaves and seeds mostly blow through or get caught at ground level where I can scoop them up easy.
3. Winter’s not as big a deal either since there’s nothing for ice to build up inside.
If you’re in a leafy area like me, link style might save you time and hassle, even if it doesn’t look quite as cool as those cup chains in the rain. Just my two cents after trying both... sometimes simple really is better, especially when you’re sick of dragging out the ladder every other month.
Man, I hear you on the cup chains and leaves. I tried to convince myself those fancy cups would work, but after fishing out handfuls of soggy maple helicopters every fall, I was over it. Link style isn’t as flashy but my weekends are a lot less “ladder time” now. Sometimes practical just wins out, especially with a bunch of trees around.
- Link style does shed leaves easier, but I’ve seen them splash water more, especially in heavy rain.
- Cup chains can clog, sure, but they also slow water down and keep it closer to the chain—less mess at the bottom.
- If you’re dealing with a lot of debris, have you tried cup chains with larger openings? Some designs handle leaves better than others.
- Maintenance is always a tradeoff... but I’ve seen link chains erode landscaping faster if you don’t have a good basin or splash block.
- Just something to consider if you’re worried about runoff or soil washout near your foundation.
Interesting point about the landscaping—I've noticed the same thing with link chains if there's no proper splash block. In my case, I switched to cup chains with wider openings after getting tired of fishing out maple seeds every spring. They still slow the water down, but I do have to clear them out a couple times a year. Has anyone tried adding a debris screen at the top of the chain? Wondering if that actually helps or just creates another spot for clogs...
Has anyone tried adding a debris screen at the top of the chain? Wondering if that actually helps or just creates another spot for clogs...
I've seen a few setups where folks put a mesh screen or even a leaf guard right at the gutter outlet above the chain. It does catch the bigger stuff—twigs, leaves, those annoying maple helicopters—but honestly, it can become its own maintenance headache. If you go that route, make sure it's easy to pop out and clean. Otherwise, you might just be moving the clog point higher up, which can be a pain if your gutters are tough to reach. Personally, I lean toward cup chains for heavy debris areas, but nothing's totally maintenance-free.
