Yeah, I’ve seen both styles cause headaches once winter hits. Cup chains look nice at first, but they’re basically ice sculptures by January. Link chains don’t freeze up as solid, but you’re right about the splash—especially if you’ve got clay or light-colored siding. I’ve tried putting a big flat stone under the chain to cut down on the mess, but it only helps so much. Honestly, in our climate, it’s just picking your poison and planning for extra cleanup.
I hear you on the winter headaches. I’ve watched my neighbor’s cup chains turn into frozen waterfalls every January—looks cool, but not exactly functional. Link chains are less dramatic, but that splashback is no joke if you care about your siding or foundation. I tried a gravel bed under mine last year, thinking it’d help with drainage and mud, but honestly, it just made for a messier spring cleanup. Sometimes I wonder if we’re all just overthinking rainwater management in these climates...
Frozen waterfalls off cup chains are wild to look at, but yeah, not exactly what you want when you’re just trying to keep water away from the house. I totally get the frustration with the gravel bed too—mine turned into a weird mud-and-weed magnet by April. Sometimes I think the only folks winning are the ones with big overhangs and no gutters at all... but then again, I’d rather fuss with rain chains than deal with a soggy basement. It’s a balancing act for sure.
Yeah, I hear you about the gravel beds turning into a mess. I tried river rock under my chains last year—looked nice at first, but by spring it was just a weed farm mixed with mud. Have you tried using those plastic splash blocks instead? They’re not exactly pretty, but they seem to help a bit with water pooling right at the foundation. I keep wondering if cup chains actually freeze up more than link styles, or if it’s just about how cold your winters get... Anyone notice a big difference?
Plastic splash blocks do the trick for keeping water away from the foundation, but I agree—they’re not much to look at. I actually tried burying mine a bit and covering them with mulch, which helped the look some, but then the mulch just washed away in the first big rain. Not sure there’s a perfect answer there unless you want to pour a concrete pad, which gets pricey.
About the chains freezing up: I’ve got both styles on different corners of my place (cup on the front, link on the back). In my experience, the cup style does seem to ice up more often. The cups collect water and if it’s cold enough overnight, you get these big icicles hanging off them. The link style just seems to freeze less since there’s not as much surface for water to sit on. I’m in upstate NY, so we get plenty of freeze-thaw cycles.
Has anyone tried putting a little gravel pit under their chains and then topping with those big flat pavers? I’m wondering if that would cut down on the weeds and mud without looking too weird.
