Repeated Storms Lead To Gutter Backups, Garage Flooding For Some
Feb 14, 2019, 6:38 PM | Updated: 8:46 pm
WEST JORDAN, Utah – Recent rain and snow has led to some annoying problems for Allison Lavatai, and her family. Water collects in her driveway, often flooding the garage where she still has items boxed up from their move to the home in December.
“It just doesn’t stop. The water does not stop,” Lavatai said. “And it has nowhere to go, so it just stays in a big old puddle.”
Lavatai and other family members were busy mopping, vacuuming and throwing buckets of water away from the large, driveway puddle. She said recent snow and rain has made the issue worse, sometimes covering most of the cement.
“We have to get up in the morning, and it’s cold as it is, and our feet get wet. Argh, it just sucks,” Lavatai said. “And then to top it off, the ducks come over here.”
Lavatai realizes her situation is more the exception than the rule, because of how her driveway is slanted. Others, like Jason Carver watched the water creep from the gutter, and go past the sidewalk – something that’s much more common after larger storms.
You've seen it before. Lots of snow, can lead to driveway puddles, even garage flooding for some people. With more snow ahead, I'm looking into why it happens and how you can get ahead of it, for @KSL5TV at 6. pic.twitter.com/fk7e2AtsTG
— Mike Anderson (@mikeandersonKSL) February 14, 2019
“And it backs up all the way into my driveway,” Carver said. “And then at night it freezes and turns into an ice skating rink.”
West Jordan’s communications director, Kim Wells said large amounts of snow can often slow the flow.
She said homeowners who have drain grates outside their homes should try to help by keeping them clear of debris. There are about 7,000 of them in West Jordan.
“It’s fairly typical with a storm this size, for the storm drain system to drain a little bit slower,” Wells said. “The snow and the ice piles up in the gutters, and as it melts, it will go to the storm drain system.”
Wells added that homeowners can call the city to alert them to streets or sidewalks by public areas that have not been cleared.
