I hear you on the “leaf sausage”—I’ve had that exact mess with link chains under my maple trees. It’s wild how fast debris builds up, and then you get that waterfall effect right over the flower beds. With cups, I do get more wind noise, but at least I can spot blockages before they turn into a real headache. Still, I sometimes wonder if a mesh guard above the chain would help, but then you’re adding another thing to clean. Trade-offs everywhere, especially if you’re surrounded by trees.
That “leaf sausage” description is spot on—mine always seems to form right after the first big fall storm. I’ve actually tried a mesh guard above my link chains, but it just collected gunk and made cleaning even more of a chore. Cups seem easier to check for clogs, but I’m not sure if the extra noise would bug me over time. Anyone else notice if the cup style actually slows down the water enough to help with splash in garden beds, or is that just marketing?
- Cup style does slow the water a bit, especially in a heavy downpour. Less splash in my beds compared to links, but not zero—still get some bounce if the ground’s hard.
- Noise is real. Cups can sound like a tiny waterfall, especially if you’ve got metal ones. Some folks dig it, others not so much.
- Mesh guards... yeah, those just turn into leaf lasagna. I gave up on ‘em.
- If you’re worried about splash, try a big flat stone or some river rock under the chain. Helps a ton, whichever style you pick.
- Honestly, both styles need cleaning, but cups are easier to spot clogs in. Just don’t expect ‘em to be silent.
Helps a ton, whichever style you pick.
- Agreed on mesh guards—leaf lasagna is the perfect description.
- I’ve found cup chains a bit better for green roof runoff since they slow the flow, but the noise can get annoying during a big storm.
- Anyone tried using a rain chain diverter into a barrel for rainwater harvesting? Curious if cups or links work better with storage setups.
I hear you on the cup chains being quieter for green roofs—mine’s a sedum setup and I went with cups for exactly that reason. The noise during heavy rain is still noticeable, but it’s more of a background thing than the clatter you get with links. For rainwater harvesting, I’ve tried both styles into barrels. Cups seem to direct water better, especially if you’re dealing with overflow from a flat or low-slope roof. Less splash, more actual collection.
Links look cool but I found they tend to spray water everywhere unless your barrel opening is huge or you rig up some kind of funnel. That said, if debris is a big issue where you are, links don’t clog as easily. Tradeoffs, like always.
Have you noticed any issues with ice in winter? My cups freeze up sometimes and block flow until things thaw out. Not a dealbreaker but worth knowing if you’re in a colder spot.
