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brokencycle

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When I was a practicing architect, I often specified rain chains. I typically had them match. BUT, if the house was sided in more than one pattern or material ... we might use a different chain with each different pattern/material.

I'm just an uncultured rube, but why? They seemingly don't perform as well as downspouts, and you can't specify good looking downspouts or something?
 

HRoi

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Ok who did he piss off

397EC422-1891-4787-8A31-F3B49D8F2553.jpeg
 

ValidusLA

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This is the first I've ever heard of rain chains, but I have to admit the first google results don't look better than traditional downspouts.

Depends on style, siding, eaves, and house. Some are quite ugly indeed.

When I was a practicing architect, I often specified rain chains. I typically had them match. BUT, if the house was sided in more than one pattern or material ... we might use a different chain with each different pattern/material.

Good advice. Eventually will reside back of house and half of the sides (that are back facing) to shou sugi ban. Front undecided. Probably going to enclose eventually with atrium courtyard.


Use brass

Would prefer for then to age with the gutters.

Is he talking about these funky ones that look like a bunch of funnels that drain into the next?
View attachment 1713852

Or like hanging a literal chain from the gutter?
The literal chain style seems to be semi-common around here (and I admit, not something I noticed or saw often prior to moving west). Traditional downspouts far outnumber them, but they are used in a lot of new construction it seems...maybe only in visible areas (like a covered entrance/stoop).
View attachment 1713853 View attachment 1713854

Supposedly they are not very effective in heavy rains, especially with high winds...but its relatively dry here. Wonder if it also does well in winter freeze/thaw dripping conditions?

There are varying styles. From cheapo $80 ugly chains to handmade links from Japan that cost 1000s.

I'm just an uncultured rube, but why? They seemingly don't perform as well as downspouts, and you can't specify good looking downspouts or something?

Depends on the house. I'm not worried about top performance in Los Angeles. I have eaves that overhang the house by quite a bit on a fairly large single story. So the chains will be quite separated from the house. They tend to look better and more dramatic with some separation. On a 2 story home with tight eaves I wouldn't do them.
 

Van Veen

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Oh, for those starved for more of my woes, we had one of the chimneys swept and inspected today. (We're not going to use the other fireplace until we can put a gas insert in.) The chimney, crown, and firebox are in really bad shape. This really did not surprise me at all. I don't think the previous homeowner used the fireplaces... so that's at least 15 years.

They quoted me $5600 for a complete overhaul (redoing the crown, new cap, repointing the chimney and firebox, etc.)

At that point I might as well just put in an insert. They previously quoted me something like $7200 for a gas insert in the other fireplace. I'm going to ask what it would be for a wood burning insert. (Since they put a liner in when they do the insert, they don't have to repair any of the inside masonry. They'd just need to do the crowns.)
 

PhilKenSebben

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Oh, for those starved for more of my woes, we had one of the chimneys swept and inspected today. (We're not going to use the other fireplace until we can put a gas insert in.) The chimney, crown, and firebox are in really bad shape. This really did not surprise me at all. I don't think the previous homeowner used the fireplaces... so that's at least 15 years.

They quoted me $5600 for a complete overhaul (redoing the crown, new cap, repointing the chimney and firebox, etc.)

At that point I might as well just put in an insert. They previously quoted me something like $7200 for a gas insert in the other fireplace. I'm going to ask what it would be for a wood burning insert. (Since they put a liner in when they do the insert, they don't have to repair any of the inside masonry. They'd just need to do the crowns.)

We looked at wood vs gas insert and eventually paid about 800$ more for the gas insert. It was more efficient, cleaner,. Easier. They had to run gas outside of the house to do it, that was the bulk of the price difference. Up here at least, the cost of the two technologies was pretty much the same.

The gas gives you such major efficiency gains that unless you want wood just for woods sake, you will probably be better off with the gas. Plus, less maintenance!

Although, with a wood fire, you could accidentally set fire to your house and start fresh..
























Hypothetically
 

brokencycle

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We looked at wood vs gas insert and eventually paid about 800$ more for the gas insert. It was more efficient, cleaner,. Easier. They had to run gas outside of the house to do it, that was the bulk of the price difference. Up here at least, the cost of the two technologies was pretty much the same.

The gas gives you such major efficiency gains that unless you want wood just for woods sake, you will probably be better off with the gas. Plus, less maintenance!

Although, with a wood fire, you could accidentally set fire to your house and start fresh..
























Hypothetically

You can do that with gas, I have faith in you.
 

PhilKenSebben

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jcman311

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That's on our list (not the blowing up of the house, the fireplace insert) of if I ever join the workforce again. When we bought we had a separate chimney inspector and sure enough our lining is cracked. I'm sure it would be hella easy to do gas as there is a rather large gas starter line right below our fireplace. I wouldn't do wood burning (or wood I??) as the added cost would be ripping out the damn carpeting in that room and putting in proper wood floors.
 

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We have a little knob in our fireplace that has 3 settings for the gas logs. As I get lazier (thanks Piob and OM) I kind of want a remote so I do not accidentally burn myself trying to turn up the fire.
 

PhilKenSebben

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We have a little knob in our fireplace that has 3 settings for the gas logs. As I get lazier (thanks Piob and OM) I kind of want a remote so I do not accidentally burn myself trying to turn up the fire.
The remote is game changing
 

Piobaire

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