Garage drainage problem
 

Well, I don't get much snow where I live but we somehow got surprised
with 14 inches last week. After pulling the car into the garage the
snow that built up in the wheel wells seemed to form a small pond which
ran to the wall that separates the garage from the downstairs living
room. I noticed there was a silicone seal along the wall trim in the
garage but thought nothing of it when we purchased. Well, apparently
there was a crack in the seal and water went under the trim and got the
living room carpet wet on the other side.

The contractor that poured this concrete didn't grade this one right I
guess. Is there anything I can do to get it to drain out the entrance
of the garage? For now, I am parking outside in the drive and knocking
the snow off before I pull in. Inconvenient but I would like to enjoy
the benefits of having a garage.

Any suggestions?

"Mike" wrote in message
oups.com...
Well, I don't get much snow where I live but we somehow got surprised
with 14 inches last week. After pulling the car into the garage the
snow that built up in the wheel wells seemed to form a small pond which
ran to the wall that separates the garage from the downstairs living
room. I noticed there was a silicone seal along the wall trim in the
garage but thought nothing of it when we purchased. Well, apparently
there was a crack in the seal and water went under the trim and got the
living room carpet wet on the other side.

The contractor that poured this concrete didn't grade this one right I
guess. Is there anything I can do to get it to drain out the entrance
of the garage? For now, I am parking outside in the drive and knocking
the snow off before I pull in. Inconvenient but I would like to enjoy
the benefits of having a garage.

Any suggestions?


Most of the track houses I've seen (California) the living space it about 12
or so inches above the garage floor. There are houses here hanging on top of
a hill where the garage is above the living space - you pay more for this
great view but too adventurous for me. I suppose the garage floor is treated
like a flat roof.

If I were you I would open up the wall and carpet and let everything dry,
clean it with bleach, wash down and treat with a termite/carpenter ant
product before I close it up, reseal and waterproof. Temporarily you could
place a large sheet of plastic and curb up the wall and place an old carpet
on top of the parking area to absorb the water.

"Mike" wrote in message
oups.com...
Well, I don't get much snow where I live but we somehow got surprised
with 14 inches last week. After pulling the car into the garage the
snow that built up in the wheel wells seemed to form a small pond which
ran to the wall that separates the garage from the downstairs living
room. I noticed there was a silicone seal along the wall trim in the
garage but thought nothing of it when we purchased. Well, apparently
there was a crack in the seal and water went under the trim and got the
living room carpet wet on the other side.

The contractor that poured this concrete didn't grade this one right I
guess. Is there anything I can do to get it to drain out the entrance
of the garage? For now, I am parking outside in the drive and knocking
the snow off before I pull in. Inconvenient but I would like to enjoy
the benefits of having a garage.

It sounds like this is an intermittant problem and a cheap and dirty
solution might do as opposed to a major rehabilitation. I had a similar
problem and just used some material like this to control where the water
pooled -
http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog....3080&SKU=92375

I glued / sealed it with a healthy amount of silicone and it worked
perfectly and lasted all season. Then you can just take a cheap small wet
vac to remove the water, or get a big floor squeegie to move the water out
like using a floor broom.

Or you might use something like this with a good silicone bead to just seal
the wall/floor joint better.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog....3080&SKU=92334

Good luck.

By the way, the floor could have shifted as opposed to improper grade from
the beginning. Sometimes garages are separate slabs from the house
foundation and it happens.

Cam

Mike wrote:

Well, I don't get much snow where I live but we somehow got surprised
with 14 inches last week. After pulling the car into the garage the
snow that built up in the wheel wells seemed to form a small pond which
ran to the wall that separates the garage from the downstairs living
room. I noticed there was a silicone seal along the wall trim in the
garage but thought nothing of it when we purchased. Well, apparently
there was a crack in the seal and water went under the trim and got the
living room carpet wet on the other side.

The contractor that poured this concrete didn't grade this one right I
guess. Is there anything I can do to get it to drain out the entrance
of the garage? For now, I am parking outside in the drive and knocking
the snow off before I pull in. Inconvenient but I would like to enjoy
the benefits of having a garage.

Any suggestions?

What about something like this?

http://www.carpad.com/carpads.html

Maybe your garage floor grade is such that you could leave off one of
the four 1" sides to allow the water to drain out the entrance. If not,
you could clean up the trapped water with a Shopvac.