The chain is a decorative solution to a practical challenge. The roof over that part of the porch had to slope toward the rock garden in order to avoid dumping water at the door on the other side. This required a gutter and would normally be solved with a downspout.

Using the rain chain, we were able to eliminate the downspout. While this is not as functional as a downspout, our client was willing to accept a slightly less efficient option for better aesthetics.