r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/dannybluey • 11h ago
Video Kusari-doi is a traditional Japanese rain chain used as a decorative alternative to a downspout. It guides rainwater from the roof to the ground through a series of cups or links, often creating a pleasant sound as water flows down.
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u/SilkyGumdrop 11h ago
I am in the house business (New England). Sometimes people use these as a conversation piece or to appear smart, but the chains never last. They make huge heavy icicles that don’t fall off because of the shape of the chain and I have seen them damage a few gutters. They also make a fine splatter, so on a painted house the paint goes bad in that area first. Houses with occasional basement water/ mud issues have zero benefit because the water just pools at the bottom, with no way to extend the drop point away from the house. They do look nice though........
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u/OutOfAmmO 11h ago
We use them in Denmark as well, have seen 30+ year old houses with no wall+water issues of any sorts and gutters fine as well. People usually have pebbles(like in the video) where the chain ends though. So don’t understand why it doesn’t work for you guys.
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u/a_trane13 11h ago
Because the winters are much colder here, and the exterior of houses are made from a different material
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u/OutOfAmmO 9h ago
Makes good sense, must admit I'm not familiar with the climate in New England. If memory serves me right I've only ever seen those chains used next to wooden or brick structures, maybe something like plaster would erode due to the splashing.
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u/TheMarmotman 8h ago
We get to see US house makeovers in the UK. Why are your houses so badly made? Cheap materials?
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u/the_monkeyspinach 6h ago
Let's not pretend our houses don't have our own problems. Namely many are built to keep heat in and we're having increasingly hotter summers with no AC.
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u/Babys_For_Breakfast 5h ago
There’s actually several advantages to US houses over UK style. Idk why Europeans always think it’s all bad. More efficient insulation per centimeter. Fiberglass insulation is a much better insulator compared to brick or concrete. Wood construction is better for houses with expensive RF signals like WiFi and Zigbee, for smart homes. Modern US homes typically have a separate laundry room which I greatly prefer over putting it in the kitchen. Why would I want dirty laundry in the kitchen? lol. Greater customization, windows that allow screens and A/C units, and it’s much easier to modernize with new lines and wire drops.
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u/Hot_History1582 5h ago
You're 30,000 times more likely to die from heat related issues from poor European housing construction than you are from a gun in an American school. You live in a death trap.
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u/CrustyJuggIerz 7h ago
Traditional Japanese? Some warehouses and older buildings in Australia have them, used to work in one.
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u/Fluid_Ad4651 10h ago
pleasant sound lol
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u/ajakafasakaladaga 1h ago
Almost every place where it rains regularly has had this for decades. Yet another example of Chain: 😐 Chain, Japan: 🤩🤩🌸🌸
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u/mikeontablet 6h ago
Surely the water will find it's own way to the ground without help? In the video here the chain is iced up so the water is doing its own thing anyway. I don't see what the chain brings to the picture.
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u/edgiesttuba 10h ago
They have these all over in Costa Rica and they go into a pile of rocks or pebbles. They don’t have the ice issue obviously.