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Garages/Workshops Home Repair Plumbing

Help! My garage is flooding!

6 years ago

Yesterday morning, I went to open my garage to leave for work when I realized I had about 3 to 4 inches of water covering my entire garage floor. The past three days have been pouring rain, along with all the snow melt. I think the problem is that the ditch in front of my house has filled with water and is starting to flood. There is a drain in our garage that we believe goes out into the ditch, which now has constant water pouring onto the floor.

Is there any way we can plug the drain short term to prevent more water from coming in? We just moved into the house in July, and had plans to redo the driveway. Should we take the drain out while we are at it? Or is there a way we can permanently close the drain?

thank you for the help in advance!

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Comments (5)

DavidR
6 years ago
I don't know how codes come into play here, and I'm just a homeowner, not an expert -- but I'm pretty sure that a properly installed drain line should be pitched enough that even a full ditch wouldn't back up into the garage. (If the road is under water, that's another story.)

IMO, it's more likely that your rain gutters are tied into the same drain line, and there's a clog somewhere between your house and the road (tree roots, collapsed pipe, or whatever).

For now, I'd run to the hardware store and get a sump pump and enough flexible pipe to reach lower ground. Use that to fight the standing water in the garage. When the rains let up, call a drain service, and have them run a camera through the pipe and see what they find.

Others here may have more ideas for you.
Sarah
Original Author
6 years ago
thank you for your suggestions! I think we will end up calling the drain guy tonight to get it scoped.
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the word "flood" conjures up images of large amounts of water (like covering the entire fllor and risiing up the walls). Is this how much water you're getting? You state that it happens "everytime there is a heavy rain". What's a heavy rain? Total 1 in.? 2 in.? 5 in.? Downpour? 1 in./hour? The sighting of the leakage with respect to the rain is important. If you getting water on the floor right after the rains start or during the rain event, then it's likley surface run-off. If it doesn't start to leak until a significant time after the rain starts, it may be the groundwater table rising. There has to be an entry port. Does it start in one corner and grow? Is the room carpeted so you don't see it until the carpet is saturated? Until you define the source it is impossible to recommend a corrective action. If you don't know where to start, I would call a local waterproofing contractor and have him on notice, that the next time it rains enough to leak, you would like him to come and see it. Then, take it from there. hope this helps.
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functionthenlook
6 years ago
If the water really is coming up through the drain they do sell drain plugs. People around here who live in the flats do have water come up through the drains during heavy rains. The drainage sewers just can't handle all the flow and backs up the line. Even when the line is pitched.
sdello
6 years ago
Similar to what functionthenlook said, if the water is because of backflow into the garage from the drain, look into installing a backflow preventing valve in the garage drain. It will allow flow out but block water flow in.
Sarah
Original Author
6 years ago
it is definitely coming up from the drain. Luckly the water went away late last night. I still want to prevent this from happening again, though. I will look into backflow prevention! Thank you!

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