How do I connect a rain barrel to my gutter?

Fit a downspout diverter at the height of the barrel. It fills the barrel and sends extra water down the downspout when the barrel is full.

Can I have a rain barrel without gutters?

Yes, with a funnel-top barrel under a roof drip point, but it will collect much less water and the foundation will still get roof runoff.

Do rain chains work in heavy rain?

They carry less than a downspout and splash more. Cup-style chains cope better, and a basin at the bottom helps.

Should I take my rain barrel down in winter?

In freezing climates, yes. Drain and disconnect it, and set the diverter so water goes down the downspout.

Guides

Rain Chains and Rain Barrels: Using Your Gutters to Harvest Rain

Gutters already collect every drop that falls on the roof. Rain barrels store some of it for the garden, and rain chains turn the downspout into something worth looking at. Both work best when they are planned with the gutters, not added as an afterthought.

Updated 2026-10-26 · Gutter Fixing Editorial Team

Rain barrels and rain chains are two of the most popular gutter add-ons. A rain barrel catches water from a downspout for watering plants. A rain chain replaces a downspout with a chain of cups or links that guides water down in a visible stream. Both have practical limits, and both need an overflow plan so heavy storms do not end up at the foundation.

How to connect a rain barrel to a gutter

The usual method is a downspout diverter. The installer cuts the downspout at the height of the barrel top and fits a diverter that sends water through a hose into the barrel. When the barrel is full, water backs up in the diverter and carries on down the pipe as normal. This keeps the downspout working and avoids an overflowing barrel beside the wall.

Another method is to shorten the downspout so it empties straight into a screened opening in the barrel lid. That is simpler but needs an overflow hose on the barrel, routed well away from the house, because the barrel will overflow in every big storm.

Setting up a rain barrel

Place the barrel on a firm, level base raised on blocks so a watering can fits under the tap.
Choose a downspout that drains a good area of roof but is near the garden.
Fit a diverter or a screened inlet to keep out leaves and mosquitoes.
Route the overflow at least several feet from the foundation, or back into the downspout.
Keep gutters clean so debris does not foul the water.
Check local rules; a few areas regulate rainwater collection.

How much water a barrel holds

A typical rain barrel holds around 50 to 60 gallons. A modest roof area can fill that in a single light rain, so barrels fill quickly and overflow often. Linking two or three barrels in series, or using a larger tank, stores more. Rainwater from roofs is fine for watering ornamental plants and lawns; most guidance advises against drinking it or using it on edible crops without treatment.

Rain chains

A rain chain hangs from a gutter outlet in place of a downspout. Water clings to the chain or falls from cup to cup, making a soft sound and a visible stream. Rain chains come in copper, aluminum, steel and powder-coated finishes, in link styles and cup styles. Cup styles handle more water and splash less.

Rain chain installation

Remove the downspout and fit a gutter installation kit or a V-bracket across the outlet hole.
Hang the chain from the bracket so it runs through the center of the outlet.
Anchor the bottom to a stake, a basin or a weighted ground fixing so wind does not swing it against the wall.
Place a basin, gravel bed or rain barrel at the bottom to catch and spread the water.
Make sure the ground below slopes away from the house.

Limits of rain chains

Rain chains carry less water than a closed downspout and splash more, especially in heavy rain and wind. They suit small roof areas, porches and garden buildings, or as one feature on a house where other downspouts carry most of the water. In freezing climates, ice builds on chains and can become heavy enough to strain the gutter, so some owners take them down for winter.

Collecting rainwater without gutters

Without gutters, rainwater can still be collected using a rain barrel with a large funnel top placed under a roof valley or drip point, or with a rain chain hung from a single short gutter. These collect much less water and offer no protection for the foundation. For most homes, a short gutter section over the barrel spot is the simplest way to fill it.

Winter care

Before freezing weather, drain rain barrels, disconnect them, and switch diverters back to the downspout so water does not freeze in the barrel and split it. Take down rain chains in places with heavy ice, or check their anchors after storms.

Planning with your gutters

If you are getting new gutters, mention barrels and chains during the quote. Downspout locations can be planned near the garden, outlets can be fitted for chains, and diverters can be included. Contractors in our network can install gutters and downspouts with barrel diverters or rain chain outlets in place.

Choosing a rain chain

Copper chains age from bright to brown and green alongside copper gutters and are the classic choice. Aluminum and powder-coated chains are lighter and come in colors to match other gutters. For a house in an area with frequent heavy rain, choose a cup style with large, deep cups. For a decorative feature by a door, a link style is lighter and quieter. Length should run from the outlet to just above the basin.

Rain barrels and mosquitoes

Standing water draws mosquitoes, so barrels need fine mesh over every opening and a tight lid. Use the stored water within a week or two during warm weather, and keep the overflow and inlet screens clear. Do not add oils or chemicals to a barrel whose water goes on plants.

Rain gardens as an overflow

A rain garden is a shallow planted dip a short distance from the house that takes overflow from a barrel or a downspout. Native plants with deep roots help water soak in. It turns a drainage problem into a planting bed, and in some areas local programs help with design.

DIY rain barrel from a gutter downspout

A DIY rain barrel system needs a food-grade barrel or drum, a screened lid, a spigot near the bottom, an overflow fitting near the top and a way to bring water in from the gutter. The simplest gutter converter for a rain barrel is a downspout diverter kit, which fits into a cut section of the downspout and runs a short hose to the barrel. A rain barrel connected to the gutter this way fills during each rain and sends the rest down the pipe once the barrel is full.

Rain barrels without gutters

A rain barrel not attached to a gutter can still collect water from a roof valley or drip point using a wide funnel top or a rain chain over the lid. A rainwater collection system without gutters gathers far less water, so it suits a small garden rather than a whole yard. Where there are no gutters on a metal roofing sheet, a short length of gutter fixed just above the barrel is often the cheapest way to fill it.

A whole-house rain barrel gutter system

Larger gutter rain barrel collection systems link several barrels or a single large tank to two or more downspouts. They need first-flush diverters that discard the dirtiest first water off the roof, leaf screens at every inlet, a level and strong base, and an overflow route that carries surplus water well away from the foundation. Check local rules before building one, and plan downspout positions with your gutter contractor if new gutters are being fitted.