Honestly, I tried the shop vac trick once and just ended up making a mess in my garage. I get wanting to fix it yourself, but half the time you’re just risking more damage. City should really invest in better grates though... feels like they’re made of tin foil.
City should really invest in better grates though... feels like they’re made of tin foil.
That’s exactly how it feels on my street too. I tried clearing one out with a rake last fall and it just bent like it was nothing. Did your garage get water inside or was it just the mess from the vac? I always wonder if trying to fix it myself is worth the risk, or if I’m just making things worse. Do you think calling the city actually helps, or do they just ignore these complaints?
- Those grates really are flimsy... seen more than a few get bent just from someone trying to clear leaves.
- Clearing it yourself is fine for surface stuff, but if it’s packed or you can’t see through, don’t force it. You can actually make it worse or hurt yourself.
- Water in the garage? Been there. Had to mop up a small lake last spring. Not fun.
- Calling the city helps... eventually. Sometimes you gotta bug them a couple times, but they do show up (eventually). Just depends on how many complaints they’re getting.
- If it’s a recurring issue, might be worth mentioning to your neighbors too. More calls = faster response, in my experience.
Honestly, I wouldn’t mess with those grates much myself—seen a neighbor try to pry one up and it just twisted right out of shape. If you can clear leaves on top, sure, but if it’s packed or you’re not sure what’s underneath, best to leave it. Some of those blockages go way deeper than you’d think, and you don’t want to end up with a busted grate or worse, an injury. I know it’s frustrating waiting on the city, but it’s safer in the long run. And yeah, the more folks call in, the faster they seem to deal with it... at least in my area.
Yeah, I hear you on that. Those grates are heavier and trickier than folks realize—seen more than one person tweak their back trying to lift one. Plus, if you mess up the fit, it just makes it worse for the next big rain. Clearing off the leaves is about as far as I’d go too. If it’s packed solid, it’s usually a sign there’s a bigger problem down the line anyway. City crews have the gear for that stuff, even if they’re slow sometimes.
