Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent water from running into my garage??

Question

My garage sits a good foot to 2ft below my alleyway in back of my house. I am converting my garage into a bar and need to stop the water from running down into my garage. Please help with any ideas

Answer 1

I might consider installing a grated drain next to the garage floor.

If I were doing this, I would cut out a 1 foot section of the driveway (from the alley) beginning where it meets the garage floor. You can either rent a masonry saw (if you rent, be sure to get the diamond blade...it works much better than an abrasive cutting blade) or pay someone to do it. If you rent and cut it yourself, make sure to snap a chalk line as a guide. I made the mistake of trying to eyeball a straight line and it ended up being anything but straight. Break out the concrete or asphalt using a sledgehammer and pick or crow bar. Prep the surface underneath using peastone (easiest because you can get it in 50# bags). Install the grated drain immediately next to the garage floor. This should drain out into your yard if possible (probably 10 or more feet, the further the better) using perforated drain tile wrapped in fabric, and I'd suggest filling around drain tile with peastone for best drainage. At the very least, it needs to drain away from the area that you're trying to keep the water away from in the first place. Lastly, hand mix (or rent a mixer) bag concrete to fill in the existing opening between the grated drain and the driveway/alley.
This is a one day project with the right planning and sufficient help from the bar's future patrons. All materials and rentals are available at your big box do it yourself home center. I would estimate that you can do it yourself for $300-400 or less(materials and rentals) plus food and refreshments for any friendly helpers.

Answer 2

Our garage always would flood when it rained hard with water running under the door...our house sits about 2 inches lower than the ground. We dug an 8 inch "moat" of sorts right around it, and filled it with gravel. That helped, but it would sometimes still flood in extreme rain. Next, we took a 2x4 cut to fit in the doorway and caulked it in. THe garage hasn't flooded since. It worked! Hope this helps

Answer 3

Is it hooked on to your house. If so add gutters that will run to the front sides of your house, dig a small trench away .,to help water move away from. it you might have to add siding aruond the bottom to a off set the water, but you might also add concrete around garage area. Maybe have someone come out and tell you what is best for your area. Good luck Pem

Answer 4

An cheaper alternative to having the foundation dug out and fixed is to have a small drain chute (~6") dug around the perimeter of the interior of the garage with a small pipe leading to the exterior, and to have the foundation itself wrapped in Tygon Wrap. You can then install paneling over the inside of the drain chute, over any existing Joyces (sp.?). I have seen it done once, and I know that it is effective, and cheap, by comparison to actual foundation repair. Good luck.

Answer 5

We get water into our garage too. What we did was put sandbags around the outside like the doors and stuff. Also, you could put things inside the garage on top of bricks and put down rubber mats.

Answer 6

Try running a drainage ditch off both sides of your driveway and put a large drain in the center of the drive in front of garage door

Answer 7

dig down to bottom of garage put tar on it for sealent then go up above the ground with the tar, then get tar paper and put to it. after theis is done take some sewer gravel depending how deep you dig might have to fill with some dirt first, anyway put the gravel about halfway up, next go get sewer line with holes so the water goes in so it will drain the water. then run your drain end where you want it

Answer 8

Build some kind of dam to redirect the water. Or dig a small trench in front of the garage with a grate over it; redirect the water from out of the trench. Or try a french drain. http://www.askthebuilder.com/175_Drying_Soggy_Soil_-_A_Simple_Trench_Drain.shtml

Answer 9

find out where the water is comming from and dig a trench next to your garage just below the foundation and lay tile(you can get it from any trackor supply store) and run the tile to the lowest point in the yard

Answer 10

Find another place for a bar or buy lots of towels