How can I be sure chains are suitable for hanging baskets?

Question

I have moved into a new home, a fourth floor apartment (third floor in British/European English). There are two chains are hanging from the ceiling of a veranda (covered balcony) area.

The chains are currently loose with nothing hanging on the end of them. They're around 3 - 4mm thickness. I am not sure how they've been secured to the ceiling above, or how much weight they can safely hold.

As the chains are near the edge of the veranda, almost above the railing, I want to be certain that anything I hang will not fall over the edge to an open courtyard below. I also live in an area subject to high wind. It's not impossible to think that the wind could twist the chains to the point of breaking or tip a basket entirely.

Are there any basic tests to do or considerations I should have before hanging a basket for plants off these chains? How do I ensure that the basket will remain secure?

Edit: The picture is low quality, but this has raised some doubts about the purpose of the chain. It seems to be secured to the railing of the above floor, but I'd need to play with it more to tell for certain.

Answer 1

Chains for hanging baskets are in a group of 3 or 4 together, linked at the top (usually into a ring with a hook) and the other end of each chain in the group has either a small bar or hooks to attach it to the basket. If your chains look like this, then that is probably what they're for. If they are relatively short, heavier gauge single chains they may be intended to hang a plastic hanging pot with a hook rather than a basket, but without seeing them or knowing the length, it's hard to say; a photo would help.

As for the strength of the fixing into the balcony ceiling, you can test that to a degree by pulling on them to see if they are firmly affixed - you can pull quite hard because a hanging basket full of plants with damp soil is pretty heavy.