Water Coming in Garage Door

[jmvar]

Hi guys, I have a situation with water coming into my garage due to the slope of the asphalt in front of the entrance during heavy rain.

It wasn't a big deal, I would just squeege the water out, until it happened while we were on vacation in August and the humidity caused mold and mildew inside. I want to address the water intrusion and want to see what my options are.

Here are some pics:

You can see here that the asphalt slopes towards the entrance of the garage. You can also see the half-assed caulk and threshold the previous owner tried to use to stop the water.

 

[beatcad]

Dammit! i have the same problem, and i also sweep it out when it when rain water comes through.
i wish i had the correct and inexpensive answer.

i've been thinking about building an awning over the garage door..maybe 3 or 4 feet out..
mostly to keep the little bit of rain that seeps through when it rains hard, but also to give a little more shade and so i can leave the garage door open in the spring & summer when it rains.

 

[Notgrownup]

Trench drain, French Drain actually...you have to have it drain somewhere, mine goes to a ditch...

 

[cdestuck]

Google TRENCH DRAIN. With these you could take a cut off blade for a circular saw and cut your black top, dig it and dirt below to sink there just below the surface of your drive infront of your door.

Because it looks like there is no lower ground beside your garage, you'll have to deal with the water that runs into the drain. For this you'd need to dig a hole in your yard and sink a plastic 55 gal drum with rocks and holes drilled in for drainage. Another possibility is a sump pump sunk in a hole to pump there water away.

 

[strutaeng]

I have the same problem. My doors are about 6" from the slab edge. My driveway buts to the garage about 3/4" belo the garage floor.

My garage is unfinished, so it seemed this was not a problem. However, I added gypsum board to one side and got unusually wet late summer/early fall rains and MOLD!

I plan to saw cut and chip down about 3/4 at the garage door...hopefully soon. I'll try to post some photos...

 

[CraigStu]

I can't see the pics but have another suggestion. How about pouring another 3-4 inches of concrete? And have a 1-2 inch step up to where the door seals to the floor. The concept here;

 

[Notgrownup]

Home Depot sells a glued down rubber damn, it’s call tsunami. I think or something like that.

 

[Bretny]

Your pictures didnt work OP.

Can you pour a cement apron and put a drain or just pitch it away from the door? I dont like trench, floor drains where a simple swale could do the same thing. Floor and trench drains can be easily filled with junk and way harder to clean.

 

[lango]

Can't see the pics, either... but if you had a shed roof type of awning over the door, would it divert the water far enough away to where it can drain away?

Good luck with it.

 

[jmvar]

Hopefully you guys can see the attached pics. The water pools up on the right side of the door (on the side where the red level is) on the concrete part and it seeps in under the door.

I am pretty sure a trench drain is what I need but I am not sure where to put it or where to have it drain.

I had a drainage guy come out and he quoted me $4000+ to put in a trench drain and run a pipe around the right side of the garage and have it dump out behind the building. This seems a bit steep for the scope of work but I have never done this before and maybe I am underestimating the work involved.

Have any of you put one of these in? Did you DIY it or hire it out? Where exactly did you put the trench drain?

 

[mark#3]

How about putting a better rubber on bottom of garage door or put on the garage concrete floor

 

[strutaeng]

Hopefully you guys can see the attached pics. The water pools up on the right side of the door (on the side where the red level is) on the concrete part and it seeps in under the door.

I am pretty sure a trench drain is what I need but I am not sure where to put it or where to have it drain.

I had a drainage guy come out and he quoted me $4000+ to put in a trench drain and run a pipe around the right side of the garage and have it dump out behind the building. This seems a bit steep for the scope of work but I have never done this before and maybe I am underestimating the work involved.

Have any of you put one of these in? Did you DIY it or hire it out? Where exactly did you put the trench drain?

In the photo it appears that you have plenty of slope, but all that algae on the siding tells me you have a lot of rain in your area. In heavy storm rainfall events, water just floods an area with minimal slope. Are you in the Southeast?

$4k for a trench drain and drain pipe you describe is way too high. These kinds of projects is like 95% labor, 5% material costs. Watch Appledrains on Youtube. He has a lot of videos on drainage.

If you are physically fit, you can knock out the project out in a weekend. It is definitely a DIY project, although I recommend smoothwall pipe over the corrugated black pipe, but for short runs like this, it should be okay.

 

[jmvar]

How about putting a better rubber on bottom of garage door or put on the garage concrete floor

I will do this as a short term stop gap fix but judging from the amount of water that comes in, I don't think this is a long term solution.

 

[jmvar]

In the photo it appears that you have plenty of slope, but all that algae on the siding tells me you have a lot of rain in your area. In heavy storm rainfall events, water just floods an area with minimal slope. Are you in the Southeast?

$4k for a trench drain and drain pipe you describe is way too high. These kinds of projects is like 95% labor, 5% material costs. Watch Appledrains on Youtube. He has a lot of videos on drainage.

If you are physically fit, you can knock out the project out in a weekend. It is definitely a DIY project, although I recommend smoothwall pipe over the corrugated black pipe, but for short runs like this, it should be okay.

So you mean slope away from the garage door towards the driveway, or slope to the left of the garage door along that front wall?. Where the asphalt meets the concrete in front of the door it slopes towards the door and that is the issue. There is a slight slope looking at the garage door that runs laterally from the right side (high) to the left side (low).

I am in mid atlantic just north of Washington DC (hence the high cost of anything labor intensive, people around here are white collar that would rather write a check than break a sweat). I am not afraid to push a shovel or cut things up with gas powered saws so I could definitely DIY. I just lack the knowledge of how to best approach and what materials to use.

Where would you put the drain and which way would you run the pipe? If I go left (looking at door) I'd have to cut up the asphalt. If I go right I would need to trench around the building because the elevation is greater on the right side of the building until you get the back.

We have had a very wet summer but the main culprit of the algea on the siding is the fact that the building has tall trees all around it, and the front and side never see any sun. I just need to spend a little time with siding wash and a power washer.

Again, I'd like to hear first hand experience of someone that has done this. What works, what would you do differently, does the drain ever clog?

I hope I am explaining myself somewhat and I appreciate all the input. I will use one of the pics to better explain, picture->1,000 words and all.

 

[Firebrick43]

In the photo it appears that you have plenty of slope, but all that algae on the siding tells me you have a lot of rain in your area. In heavy storm rainfall events, water just floods an area with minimal slope. Are you in the Southeast?

$4k for a trench drain and drain pipe you describe is way too high. These kinds of projects is like 95% labor, 5% material costs. Watch Appledrains on Youtube. He has a lot of videos on drainage.

If you are physically fit, you can knock out the project out in a weekend. It is definitely a DIY project, although I recommend smoothwall pipe over the corrugated black pipe, but for short runs like this, it should be okay.

+1. I agree its Way to high.

Get a nice fiskars digging spade https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fiskars-47-in-Garden-Spade-Shovel-96676933J/202681793

A pick
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-2-5-lb-Pick-Mattock-34210/204168129


A water level
https://www.amazon.com/Zircon-Water-Level-Hose-Electronic/dp/B01J39MNM6?th=1&psc=1

You could make your own water level or you could barrow a transit but the water level will work well for a project of your scope on the cheap. One linked is just an example. No experience with it. They are used to maintain grade of the trench.

Asphalt could either be chipped out with a wide chisel or cut with a saw for a nicer edge. But your project would be a day project for me. A weekend will let you dig and take plenty of rest. don't try to dig with the bastardized standard shovel, it will frustrate you. A flat bottom transferry shovel is nice to clean the bottom of the trench of loose material bit not necessary.

 

[jmvar]

+1. I agree its Way to high.

Get a nice fiskars digging spade https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fiskars-47-in-Garden-Spade-Shovel-96676933J/202681793

A pick
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-2-5-lb-Pick-Mattock-34210/204168129


A water level
https://www.amazon.com/Zircon-Water-Level-Hose-Electronic/dp/B01J39MNM6?th=1&psc=1

You could make your own water level or you could barrow a transit but the water level will work well for a project of your scope on the cheap. One linked is just an example. No experience with it. They are used to maintain grade of the trench.

Asphalt could either be chipped out with a wide chisel or cut with a saw for a nicer edge. But your project would be a day project for me. A weekend will let you dig and take plenty of rest. don't try to dig with the bastardized standard shovel, it will frustrate you. A flat bottom transferry shovel is nice to clean the bottom of the trench of loose material bit not necessary.

All of the trench drains I have seen need to be encased in concrete. Can you **** concrete right next to the cut asphalt?

Here is what I think options are, please let me know what you think and if I am missing anything.

1. Trench drain in concrete to drain out either to left side or right side of doors

Which way should it drain, how much maintenance to keep drain clean?​

2. Cut out part of asphalt and form a swale to carry water down left side of garage to grass area on left. Is this possible? Is there enough slope? would have to be below level of concrete area in front of door

3. Awning, really don't like this option, would look out of place and is a lot of work

4. trench drain in asphalt area, where would it drain?

5. seal up entrance with new silicone and glue down rubber block right under door.

6. another option I missed

 

[Firebrick43]

Sure you can **** up fresh concrete with asphalt. No issues there. Cleaning is a function on the amount of and type of trees/bushes you have nearby. Lots of soft maples with their whirrley gig seeds and it may need it quiet often.

As far as the swale idea, maybe. I have done a similar things in the past. Problem is that pictures don't and can't really show grade that well. It looks like you have some to the right of the garage but you really need to measure the whole path as you don't want a low spot to hold the water.

If you trench in the asphalt and use plastic corrida red tile to take it away most locations can be drained. Again you need to measure slope of start point and end point and measure the trench in between as you dig it to maintain a nice even slope, don't eyeball it. The water level mentioned or a transit/rotary lazer can measure this.

The rubber dams are a joke if you drive cars over it. A neighbors pole barn has an incorrectly slopped floor/threashhold and north storms drive water under the door. The dam works but he is constantly regluing it and no mater which glue it will only stick for a few months before a car knocks it loose.

 

[lakelandcat]

It looks like you drainage should go towards the gate, your drive was put in incorrect, and needs to be resloped. It looks like when they paved it they got 2-3 feet from the door and said whoops! Options would be to remove asphalt to slope to the street, maybe come in with a roller. no quick fix.