Rain brings mixed business forecast

Rain clouds are working overtime, preventing some area businesses from working at all.

For other businesses, it might as well be raining gold.

"Every drop is a dollar sign," said Jeff Bernard, the owner of Leafguard-Midlands, a Columbia gutter installation company that does work in the Augusta area. "When it rains, it literally means money for someone in the gutter industry."

For June and July, Augusta had above-average rain, according to the National Weather Service. This month, scattered thunderstorms have been almost a daily occurrence.

After four years of drought from 1998 to 2002, the area is in a "wetter regime," weather service meteorologist Mike Cammarata said.

This regime has laborers' hands tied at Augusta Green Wood & Mulch Inc. The land-clearing company has stalled projects around the Augusta-Aiken area, President Joe Rabun said.

"It's been rainy these past few years, but not like this year," he said. "The ground is so full of water, you can't move."

His mulching business, which stems from the land-clearing operation, also is slow. If rain continues to pelt flower beds, people don't need as much mulch to help retain water, Mr. Rabun said.

Consumers might be thinking less about mulch, but they're definitely thinking about mold and mildew when the rain rolls in, said Mr. Bernard, whose company usually gets flooded with calls.

The rain doesn't always have Leafguard offices walking on sunshine, however. Mr. Bernard's employees can't install gutters if it's raining outside, he said.

Rainwater is just what Geraldine Hunter needed to boost sales at her Countryside Greenhouse in Hephzibah, which had been hurt by county watering restrictions enacted during the drought years.

"For years when we were having a drought, people were too scared to plant because of the water regulations and all," she said. "With the rain we're having, I think we have had more people planting than usual."

Plants like it better, too, she said.

"Rainwater puts something in the ground that watering by hand doesn't give it. I know it seems crazy, because water is water, but rainwater seems better," she said.

Rainwater also has found an unlikely ally in the sprinkler business. James Dansby, the owner of Augusta Custom Lawn Sprinkler, said the rain actually has allowed him to expand his customer base.

With fewer repair calls from existing customers, the rain has allowed Mr. Dansby to reach out to new ones.

"Usually (in the summer) I get more calls than I can return," said Mr. Dansby, who spends most of his time servicing regular customers.

As of Tuesday evening, scattered storms were expected to move out by Thursday.

This is good news for Davis Insulation & Window Co. in Augusta, division manager Andy Anderson said. Everyone might want a gutter because of the rain, but the rain has thrown off scheduling and pushed back orders, he said.

In the end, water isn't all bad, even for businesses suffering from it, Mr. Anderson said.

"Without water, we'll all be dead," he said.

Reach Tony Lombardo at (706) 823-3227 or tony.lombardo@augustachronicle.com.