Gutter downspouts serve an important purpose by routing rainwater away from your home's foundation. While this is essential to prevent your basement walls from cracking and leaking, many homeowners are not satisfied with the appearance and maintenance requirements of traditional downspouts. Here are four alternatives to downspouts that you should consider.

1. French Drains

French drains direct water away from your foundation after it has reached the ground, rather than before. French drains consist of a trench around the base of your home filled with gravel and sand. Because these materials are more porous than the surrounding soil, rainwater soaks through them easily. Perforated pipes are buried in the trench and run along a slope to allow water to flow away from your foundation.

French drains can protect your home's foundation from even the heaviest rain, as most of the water that overflows from your gutters is also caught by the trench around your home. One risk of French drains is that splash back can occur as water falls from your gutters to the ground, possibly damaging your home's siding. French drains are also more expensive to install than traditional downspouts.

2. Rain Barrels

Rain barrels are perhaps the most obvious solution for protecting your foundation from rainwater; water will never reach your foundation if you catch it before it hits the ground! The downspouts are shortened, and large, sturdy metal or plastic barrels are placed beneath them. You can even use the collected water for your garden during dry periods.

If you choose to use rain barrels, you must commit to the habit of emptying the barrels when they are full, or they will be rendered ineffective. This can require more effort than you would expect: large barrels can get extremely heavy when they are full, and you should make sure you empty them a few feet away from your foundation.

3. Rain Chains

Rain chains are one of the most aesthetically pleasing options for handling roof runoff. Rain chains are often equipped with bells or chimes so that the water creates a pleasing, peaceful sound as it runs through the chains. Rain chains are commonly made of aluminum, which will not rust, or copper, which naturally tarnishes to give the rain chains an attractive, aged appearance.

While rain chains enhance the appearance of any home, there are a few challenges you will need to overcome for them to be as effective as gutters. If you live in an especially rainy climate, rain chains may simply not be viable. This is because they cannot handle the same volume of water that traditional gutters can, so there may be significant rainwater overflow around your home.

Additionally, rain chains cannot be bent to direct water away from your foundation, so you will need to use them in combination with rain barrels or in-ground gutters.

4. Copper Pipe

The biggest benefit of replacing your home's downspouts with copper pipes is that they are more durable than aluminum downspouts. Copper is less likely to become dented from falling branches or accidental bumps from a vehicle.

Copper pipes start out bronze, but develop an attractive, green-tinted patina over time. Copper pipes are also more versatile than aluminum downspouts. Extensions can be used to route water even further away from your home's foundation or connect the pipes directly to a French drain system.

Aluminum downspouts are effective in many cases, but they should not be the only option you consider just because they are the traditional choice. Keep these alternative roof runoff systems in mind, and contact Rain-Flow Systems, LLC so we can help you choose the solution that best meets the needs of your home.