LAFAYETTE — If you feel like things can't dry out, you certainly aren't alone. Since May 1st, Lafayette has seen close to 32 inches of rain. The average for the year is 60 inches, meaning we've had half of our yearly rainfall in about two months.
We asked several people who work outside for a living how the rains are impacting what they do.
"Instead of 50-60 hour weeks, I'm working about 84," Kyle Duhon said while loading up his mowing equipment at the end of the day.
Duhon owns and operates Real Deal Lawn Care Service, LLC.
This season Duhon is keeping up with 120 yards, but the heavy rainfall seen in the area for the past five weeks is changing how he does business.
"For my front yard, we weed-eated the whole thing, instead of cutting it which takes a longer period of time, but we were able to get it to look great," Duhon said.
He says when the grass is wet, he and his team can't use big mowers. That's because the weight of the mowers creates ruts in the yard.
"None of the yards, because we have had a break, are rutting up, meaning making holes in the yards. It's still not looking so great with brown marks, so we wash those off," Duhon explained.
Other lawn care companies like Duhon's say they are seeing an increase in customers. T.J. Knight, owner of Mowed Better Lawn Service, tells KATC they are working longer hours to cut more grass. Other companies KATC spoke with, like the Lawn Doctor of Lafayette, say the rain has made them physically sick.
Rain isn't just putting a damper on lawn care services. James Peters owns and operates King James Tree Service, a tree cutting company. A forecast for heavy rain is cutting his work week short.
"Our truck is around 20,000 pounds. Any little bit of rain can soften the yard. We can get stuck. As much as it weighs, you're not going to get another truck to pull it out. We do more damage to the yard than we should."
However, despite the rain, these men are staying busy.
"Never in my 11 years, have I seen this much rain," Duhon said.
