Does my garage addition need a drain?

[bjaspud]

I'm adding a 3 car garage to the front of my existing 2 car garage. The 2 car portion becomes my shop. The 3 car addition will be used strictly to park my daily drivers.

The question is ...do I need to add a drain to the new addtion or can I get by with just having the floor slope towards the door?

I live in Ohio and get slush on the cars in the winter.

Can I get by without a drain? I don't plan on washing cars in the new additon, I will wash them in the shop where there is a drain.

I sure don't want to tear up the floor in the exisiting 2 car garage in order to tie into the existing drain.

Opinions please.

Thanks,
Spud

 

[akdiesel]

If you can put it in before the pour then go for it. You can always plug it off if not needed.
Also in the colder locations as you said with snow if it does slope to the overhead door you could stand the chance of freezing the door seal and if so it would simply rip it and then the cost of repairs.

 

[Gary S]

My climate is worse than yours, and I've never needed a drain in my garages. I simply slope the floor. That works better than a drain which will freeze up underground.

 

[PAToyota]

Check with local codes - they may not allow a drain in a garage because they'd be worried you'd dump motor oil down it.

 

[dirttracker18]

Do the drain!

You will wonder how you got by without one, and there is no reason for it to freeze underground. I have never had that happen and I get much colder than you.

Love my drain and would not build another garage without one.

 

[djm999]

Got to have the drain if they allow it in the new construction.

 

[Tman]

You will love a drain. I wash out the shop a couple times a year. mine is sloped out to the landscaping on the hill beside my shop. I set the drain in the center of the main bay a smidge lower than the sides of the room. We screeded off that and made the main bay slope to the middle. Works great.

 

[regguy1]

Drain YES

 

[nehog]

Keep in mind that slush covered, salt covered cars that are warmed enough to melt the slush tend to accelerate the rust process.