water drainage without floor drains

[fast325it]

Hi all,

I'm starting a new 24x35 detached garage and I'm looking for suggestions regarding water drainage out of the garage - without floor drains. I've built 3 homes, all with nice garages that had floor drains, either to daylight or to the house sanitary sewer. The municipality I now live in allows only garage drains that drain to the city sanitary lines, either via the house plumbing or directly to the sanitary sewer.

The length of new sewer line required will make going to the sanitary lines cost prohibitive. I'd like to have running water in the garage and am looking for drainage solutions for washing cars and melting snow. Any thoughts?

Thank you,

John

 

[dirttracker18]

Slope the floor to the service door and instal a trech along the front that drains out the side or front?

Slope to the front and leave the door open a crack when washing.

Slope to the front and cut thin lines out to front at the door to allow water to move under it?

Just thinking out load here

 

[theoldwizard1]

Interesting. Most municipality will not allow garage floor drains to be connected to storm or sanitary sewers without some type of oil/grease separator.

Depending on how much water you will be using and how thick your floor is, you might want to just make a trench drain down the center, about 4-6" deep that has insets for a grate. Evaporation should take care of the rest. Or buy one prefab.

If you don't want standing water in the garage, run pipe out underground to a dry well. Again, check with local codes, they still may require a oil/grease separator.

 

[fast325it]

Yes, it goes without saying that I will need an oil separator if I drain to the sanitary sewer, either directly or tied into the house.

I like the idea of trench down the middle.

I used the same drain set up in our last garage however, it was attached to the house and and easy run to the sanitary sewer via a separator.

Has anyone else had to think outside the box to drain water from a drainless garage?

 

[Treeman]

Could it drain to a sump pit, then be pumped to your house drain?

I wonder if code would allow this. Imagine if gasoline got into the system!

Interesting challenge.

 

[dlenkewich]

Before you pour, dig pit, install 45gal drum with the bottom cut out, add crush rock to bottom to aid in drainage.

Measure out where it is and pour over it. After final inspection core a 4" hole down through the concrete into the drum.

 

[Modifieddriver]

Could it drain to a sump pit, then be pumped to your house drain?

I wonder if code would allow this. Imagine if gasoline got into the system!

Interesting challenge.

Yeah, can ya' imagine that .

I like the core drill idea or put a thin card board cover over the drain grate before the concrete is poured. 1/4" coat of cement over the card board. Inspector looks, no drain in sight, signs off and you say bye, bye. Break the concrete façade, trim it with a side grinder and what do we have, instant drain. You'll never see the inspector again. Likelihood is a car will be parked over it so it'll be out of sight

AND, unlike the guys that aren't on the GJ, we're all smart enough here to not put something in the drain that's harmful. .

 

[SteveL]

A guy I know just happen to have a pile of drywall sitting on top of his when the inspector came by. Ran the drain through the exterior wall below grade and tied in to the schedule 40 PVC pipe that goes from the gutter down spouts to daylight about 75' away.

He will just need to remember to conveniently have a pile of stuff on it when the day comes to sell the place.

 

[dirttracker18]

I too have heard rumor of guys skim coating over a drain for inspection purposes.

That is rumor of course before the drain police on GJ come to call me out