When it rains I take on water

[HOTRODPRIMER]

I built my 30' x 40' garage almost 10 years ago and I insulated it to the max,I installed sheet rock and painted the walls white,I used insulated doors & windows but I always take on water under the three roll up doors.

I have the recommended rubber seal on the bottom of the doors and when that didn't seem to work I slid some foam pipe insulation into the hollow rubber.

I have resisted installing anything on the floor but I am tired of using the squeegee every time it rains,

Is there anything on the market that I can install to keep the water out? HRP

 

[WhiffySpark]

Does your grade slope towards the doors?

 

[Joe Reed]

Nope. Assuming the water is coming in through the garage door, your only solution is to create a drain system to stop it before it gets there. Even if you could find a way to create a perfect, water tight seal at the door opening, that won't help as soon as you open the door!

 

[SuperD]

I have the same problem with my two ten foot garage doors, worse when the wind blows on a rainy day. I also tried the foam tape inserted into the hollow rubber and my concrete floor is level and smooth. In hindsight I wished I had ended the garage floor slab inside the roll up ten foot doors and then poured the outside slab slightly sloped away from the doors. I am going to grind a slight slope on the concrete to help water run-off but really wish there was a better garage door seal out there. Hopefully someone pipes in with a wonder seal for the garage doors.

 

[RWorth]

Short pitched roof over the door. Or install a bilge pump

 

[HOTRODPRIMER]

Mainly the water is wind driven and the overhang is about 2 foot.

The driveway does slop away from the garage.

The photo was taken when I built the garage,all the cars have been sold and replaced. HRP

 

[DGersic]

Water runs downhill. If the garage is lower than what’s around it, you’ll have water in the garage. Gravity is your best bet, find or make a way for the water to run somewhere else. Grading, drainage, anything that runs it away from the doorway.


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[DGersic]

Mainly the water is wind driven and the overhang is about 2 foot.



The driveway does slop away from the garage.



The photo was taken when I built the garage,all the cars have been sold and replaced. HRP

Floor drain at the entrances may help if you have somewhere to drain it to.



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[lakeroadster]

Garage Door Threshold Seal...

 

[audioworks04]

Only way to really prevent water mitigation is to drain the water correctly. Easiest solution be to tear out a strip of the concrete and install a trench drain in front of the doors, could simply daylight the drain pipe at the edge of the paving. Initial cost might seem extreme, but it should leave you problem free.


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[biggziff]

Is the slab pitched away from the building starting at the outside edge of the overhead doors? My old garage slab is not and takes water in here in heavy rains. My new garage slab is pitched away and no water enters.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I don't see any elevation difference between the driveway/apron and the garage floor. Having the floor about 3/4" higher than the apron is standard for garages...

Tommy

 

[biggziff]

http://www.zurn.com/products/trench-drainage/linear-trench-drain

 

[supersaiyan93]

Looks like some gutters would help also, to keep roof runoff from further saturating the concrete right in front of the garage.

 

[BillK]

hrp,
Are you sure it is actually coming under the doors and not running around the edges somehow ? I have the tubular seals on the bottom of my 16 ft door and never get a drop under the door no matter how hard it rains. My slab does have a slight slope outwards from the door but not much. Same deal with the door at my business, I never get anything under it.

How about a close up view from the outside ?

 

[kbs2244]

I second the need for gutters.
That is a lot of roof.

Commerical size with down spouts at each end and 10 foot runners away from the building.

 

[johnyg]

i third the gutter thing...worked on my patio.

 

[NUTTSGT]

First and foremost, get gutters. That was one thing I noticed right away while looking at the picture.

What is the height difference between the driveway and shop floor ?

 

[willymakeit]

If your door seal isn't stopping it. My next option would be a outside traffic rated trench or slot drain.
Remove slab far enough out door edge to drop edge and slope down to drain. Repour with smooth dowels and cage with a expansion joint. I build large commercial truck fueling/ maintenance buildings and stopping water at door is crucial.

 

[James-W]

I agree that installing gutters would be a step in the right direction, but that won't do anything for the "wind driven" rain the opening says is causing the problem. I think a long trench type drain with a steel grate right by the overhead door would help out. That way when the rain hits the overhead door it should run down into the drain and then run off to the side of the garage. It may not stop all of the water from coming in under the overhead door, but it certainly should lessen the problem considerably.

 

[RWorth]

Looking at your picture I'd have to give another vote for Gutters, and if it doesn't solve the issue completely, I also Like Lakeroadsters glue down threshold. I may try that on mine, I have the same issue. I've been talking about building an overhang for years but it never really bothered me that much.
EDIT: just ordered a threshold kit from Amazon for 43.00

 

[ard]

How well sealed is the building? I noticed a garage door on the back door. If wind has a way OUT of the interior more will come IN. If air is able to transit across the building it will pull in more rain. You can test that with a fat roll of tape and some plastic sheating

 

[BillK]

I don't see any elevation difference between the driveway/apron and the garage floor. Having the floor about 3/4" higher than the apron is standard for garages...

Tommy

I think that is a geographic thing. Don't see it around here at all.

 

[Bluevista]

Every garage floor I've ever had done has a slightly rounded lip or step just inboard of the door, keeps the garage floor a little above the driveway grade. That little step makes all the difference in the world when it comes to water intrusion.
If that one had it water would never get in unless the water pools there an inch deep, and that's a whole 'nother problem.

 

[larry4406]

Every garage floor I've ever had done has a slightly rounded lip or step just inboard of the door, keeps the garage floor a little above the driveway grade. That little step makes all the difference in the world when it comes to water intrusion.
If that one had it water would never get in unless the water pools there an inch deep, and that's a whole 'nother problem.

In my area we call that step a weather lip. It serves the purpose you stated. It also ***** big time rolling floor jacks across the vertical lip and or rolling projects in or out. Instead, one can pour a more aggressive slope transition dropping down at the door.

A properly sloped slab with slope transition, level left to right in the plane of the garage door, and positive drainage away from the door should be more than adequate.

 

[HOTRODPRIMER]

I don't see any elevation difference between the driveway/apron and the garage floor. Having the floor about 3/4" higher than the apron is standard for garages...

Tommy

There is a slope away from the garage as seen in the attached photo,



I did follow the advice of Lakeroadster and ordered the garage door threshold seal and can report that I haven't taken on any more water. HRP

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

After 3yrs and still no gutters!?
You know they will do more than just keep water away from the garage doors(?).

 

[FredWanaker]

yes, 3 year old thread and gutters are surely needed. From that new photo it also looks like the garage floor extends too far outside the garage door so that water coming off the roof, or wind blown onto the door that runs down is already on the garage floor. Glad the strip helped.

 

[p_mori7]

Nice Falcon !

 

[LS6 Tommy]

There is a slope away from the garage as seen in the attached photo,



I did follow the advice of Lakeroadster and ordered the garage door threshold seal and can report that I haven't taken on any more water. HRP

Pitch away from the garage or not, I've never seen a garage that the inside floor didn't have some sort of step up from the apron...

Tommy

 

[Bert_]

It could work without gutters. Most garages are not detailed very well by the doors. My opinion is the floor under the door should have a 10* or so slope to the outside. Not as easy to do after the fact but you could always grind it.

 

[TJMtl]

I have those glue on threahold seals, they work great, except if you want to roll a floorjack out. I end up picking it up and carrying it over the seal.