Floor drain in garage?

[Ross/Kzoo]

We're building a new home and garage and something came up this morning. I was going to put a floor drain in the garage and then have a lead from the floor drain to the outside. I told the excavator of my plan and he rolled his eyes and said "floor drain in the garage?". He indicated that it either wasn't done or was illegal. Any thoughts?

 

[Farmall450]

I know my parents had the exact same problem back in '99...not sure why?
IMO the water is gonna get in the ground one way or another.

 

[Stuart in MN]

If you can put one in, and how it's drained, will depend on local regulations so check with your building department. Pay no attention to those people who tell you how they do it where they live. The big concern is that oil or gas will go down the drain and get into the ground.

 

[LB-1911]

We're building a new home and garage and something came up this morning. I was going to put a floor drain in the garage and then have a lead from the floor drain to the outside. I told the excavator of my plan and he rolled his eyes and said "floor drain in the garage?". He indicated that it either wasn't done or was illegal. Any thoughts?

My thought is to check with the Authority Having Jurisdiction.

Previous discussions
https://www.google.com/#q=new+const...++++garage+journal+site:www.garagejournal.com

 

[ratdoggy]

If you can put one in, and how it's drained, will depend on local regulations so check with your building department. Pay no attention to those people who tell you how they do it where they live. The big concern is that oil or gas will go down the drain and get into the ground.

Very common where I live (snow slush) drained to a creek behind my house. House was built in 2009

 

[unsinkable]

illegal now in most (if not all) states.
The thought being, that people would allow oil and other hazardous materials to be poured down the drain.
Even though the idiots that would do that are going to "wash" it away anyway.

Some people have attempted to cover the installed drain with building materials until after the final inspection...most inspectors are hip to this trick, best way is to skimcoat over, then chip away after all the lookyloos are gone (wonder how I know this ?!)
Good Luck !

 

[Jsf721]

I put a 3000 gallon French drain / dry well under my driveway to make sure no rain water would ever get into the house. There is poor soil in my area, loads of clay and the water does not readily absorb into the ground.

At the same time I though, who not FRP board the garage walls and make a wash station?

Asked contractor to channel into garage and install a series of "strip drains", and tie them into the dry well.

He laughed at me. I though it was because I wanted to wash the car in the garage. He said, they will never approve that, ever. He was right. Has to do with polluting ground water.

 

[12ozd]

I have 2 in mine, they daylight behind the garage.

 

[ford33]

There are threads on the board about floor drains in a garage.

 

[canuckian]

They weren't allowed around here until about 2 yrs ago. Now they're encouraged. Different rules in different regions I guess.

 

[kelpaso1]

illegal now in most (if not all) states.
The thought being, that people would allow oil and other hazardous materials to be poured down the drain.
Even though the idiots that would do that are going to "wash" it away anyway.

Some people have attempted to cover the installed drain with building materials until after the final inspection...most inspectors are hip to this trick, best way is to skimcoat over, then chip away after all the lookyloos are gone (wonder how I know this ?!)
Good Luck !

This is what my neighbor did. He installed the drain pipe and drain in the floor before the concrete pad was poured. He built a 2x4 frame around the drain and put a piece of plywood over top about an inch below what the final pad depth would be. After the finished garage was inspected he chipped away the concrete, removed the plywood, and put a steel grate over the drain

 

[Rlastr]

I added floor drains and tied them into my septic, no problem with codes here.

 

[G_P]

Most places are concerned that people will use the floor drains as places to dump used oil or that if a gas tank is leaking there will be 15+ gallons of gas going down the drain.

I have heard of people being allowed to do it as long as they install an interceptor in the line to catch any oil residue and keep it out of the sewer/septic.

 

[kelpaso1]

Most places are concerned that people will use the floor drains as places to dump used oil or that if a gas tank is leaking there will be 15+ gallons of gas going down the drain.

I have heard of people being allowed to do it as long as they install an interceptor in the line to catch any oil residue and keep it out of the sewer/septic.

Just cant fix stupid sometimes.

 

[sickjuice]

I have nothing to back my claim up, but I'm willing to bet every jurisdiction allows them... IF your willing to go to the extent of installing an oil interceptor.

 

[C2 Turbo]

My builder here in KY didn't have any problem putting the drains and in-fact, I have a drain in each of my 5 bays including the basement garage

 

[xyster101]

I installed one here in upstate NY. Goes to daylight. I just asked the inspector before hand expecting a big NO!. But got a yes, so just ask.

 

[maynard9089]

I have 2 in my garage that was built in 2010 also in Upstate NY. Mine drain to a ditch. The only no-no here is running it to your home sewer lines. The oil and waste arguement is bunk. Dirtballs that dump oil like that will do it regardless. My drains are about 8" deeper than the drain line exiting them. About 2x a year I pop the covers and hit them with the Shop-Vac.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd guess most places found it's easy to not allow them than to worry about the hassles that may evolve from a spill. Stormwater (rain/melting snow) needs to be separated from the sanitary sewer per EPA regulations.

If the drain goes to daylight, the inspector (jursidiction having authority) needs not worry about it contaminating sewers. Guys in Canada will have different rules than the US.

 

[Tossin]

The builder we're working with in Michigan has no problem putting a drain in ether.

 

[Acuratechva]

We're building a new home and garage and something came up this morning. I was going to put a floor drain in the garage and then have a lead from the floor drain to the outside. I told the excavator of my plan and he rolled his eyes and said "floor drain in the garage?". He indicated that it either wasn't done or was illegal. Any thoughts?

Sounds like hes just lazy or lacks knowledge

 

[Ross/Kzoo]

The excavator has nothing to do with the installation. He was just passing on his experience. I will contact the permiting agency on Mon. and let the GJ'ers know the outcome.

 

[6768rogues]

I would ask the inspector. If he says it is not permitted, ask for the section of the code that disallows it and look it up yourself. It is not unheard of for an inspector to make a mistake. If it is truly disallowed, maybe there is some loophole you can use but you have to read the code yourself.

 

[jimp]

No problem with a floor drains, all you have to do is collect ALL of the discharge and have it treated as hazardous waste. Local code and inspector, eastern Kansas.

 

[Rock knocker]

I have nothing to back my claim up, but I'm willing to bet every jurisdiction allows them... IF your willing to go to the extent of installing an oil interceptor.

I agree

 

[vetron]

I wanted a drain in my shop that just drained under the shop. builder said no way they could do that. had to do with codes, regs, rules, blah blah blah

 

[lightning11849]

You can never have enough drains!!!