When it rains even slightly I have water running into my garage and under the door.
by
Seth F
+37
The previous owner tried to caulk the wood molding at the bottom but that gave away a long time ago. This has now gotten to the point that the sheetrock inside the garage on this wall is becoming damaged and needs replacing. I tried making little cuts in the concrete here to divert the water away and it works if there is just a sprinkle anything more and I get what you see in the pictures.
Does anyone know of something I could do or use to block the water from coming in? I have thought of using thin brick pavers or some other sort of "hump" but im not really sure whats the best route. Id rather only have to do it once than to keep coming back and trying everything under the sun.
Any suggestions?
Does anyone know of something I could do or use to block the water from coming in? I have thought of using thin brick pavers or some other sort of "hump" but im not really sure whats the best route. Id rather only have to do it once than to keep coming back and trying everything under the sun.
Any suggestions?
outside of garage door
inside garage door
40 answers
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You don't indicate if the driveway falls toward the door. If that is the case you may need to install a catch basin/drain across the drive near the door to reduce volume. We had a similar problem at the shop wher water was wicking under the garage doors at a level loading dock. Overhead Door Co.of Atlanta took care of business with properly leveled and caulked thresholds.
Bob and RodMan S
on Nov 30, 2011
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It actually falls towards the garage for about the first 2 feet of garage door and then away the rest of the door. You can kind of see the dry spot in the first pic there.
Seth F
on Nov 30, 2011
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Seth, it is funny that you posted this today. A ToolSelect member just brought this up also yesterday. He said that he located a strip of a heavy 3" rubber strip that he attached to the bottom of the door. From what he mentioned the concrete settled on separate ends of the garage which left gaps under the door. He said that when the door closed the rubber seal filled in the gaps. Not sure if that helps.
ToolSelect.com
on Nov 30, 2011
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Thanks...ill check it out
Seth F
on Nov 30, 2011
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Seth, it's odd the drywall is wet because it should be one half inch off the ground. It makes me wonder if the downspout is running freely or backing up, splashing onto the house. The bottoms of the door casings need polyurethane caulking, not ordinary latex caulking, where wood meets concrete. This should be applied after a through prep job. You may find a little wood rot where the casings meet the ground. This will keep water from getting in under the casing. You may also need to caulk along where the siding meets the concrete, if there is a gap. Even check the caulking, or likely lack of, behind the downspout. Since you are fighting against nature, you may have to attack this on several fronts. Best, Charles
Peace Painting Co., Inc.
on Nov 30, 2011
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Seth, It looks like your garage door is an older model. Have you considered replacing the rubber seal on the bottom of the garage? I replaced mine and stopped a lot of the water. I now have to put a rubber piece on the garage like you were talking about in the earlier post.
Gordon F
on Nov 30, 2011
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you may need to install a slot drain across the width of the garage door. proper gasket MAY help but unlikely. your garage floor MAY have a negative slope meaning what's spilled inside the garage doesn't run towards the door - easy to check w/4' level taped to a straight 2 x 4. i'm at a loss to understand how caulking would prevent water from entering a doorway that opens & closes but i'm not a painter - just a waterproofer & concrete repairman. it may be possible to grind/bevel the concrete floor which is outside the overhead door's track as water rarely runs uphill ;-) good luck !
Its Really Concrete, Inc.
on Nov 30, 2011
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I agree with Its Really Concrete that a proper fix will require actually addressing the water problem, not simply trying to keep it out by using caulk, a gasket, or a strip of pavers. Just as pointed out, one proper fix would be to have someone saw out some of the concrete, install a strip drain, and then any water that flows towards the door will enter the strip drain, and then be carried off where the pipe will exit to daylight. Another option (tough to know without seeing the exact location) would be to saw out a section of the concrete along the door, and re-pour it so that it has a proper grade away from the door. Of course, this method or the strip drain both require more work than the earlier proposed options. But as we tell some clients, there are ways to properly address and correct a problem, and there are ways to put a band-aid on it. Sometimes, it does require spending a little more money than planned, but the problem is corrected and will not require further maintenance. As a final thought, a sealed gasket adhered to the floor might stop the water from entering the garage, but it will simply cause it to puddle outside of the door. Although it stops the intrusion of water, it actually doesn't fix the problem of water flowing towards the door.
Southern Trillium LLC
on Nov 30, 2011
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all good ideas to consider...i have thought of a drain type option but like was mentioned this doesnt address the water issue. I have considered strongly building a concrete "bumper" right at the seam of the garage and driveway. It would resemble something like a speed bump but not as large. It would taper out away from the door to prevent the water from running uphill as mentioned. Thanks again for the ideas. Ill be back...I have plenty of other projects to work on around my place so im sure I will need more ideas on things.
Seth F
on Nov 30, 2011
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Seth, I think we had some miscommunication. The drain does in fact address the water issue by collecting the water and channeling it somewhere else, away from the door. The other proposed options are just as you described; dams. The water will still have no where to go. Thus, a drain installed properly will collect and carry off the water. Or, removing the concrete and re-pouring that area with a proper slope away from the door will prevent any water from ever flowing toward it.
Southern Trillium LLC
on Nov 30, 2011
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Put the drain in or correct the pitch of the driveway were it meets the door. Gaskets are fine for blowing rain or snow and helps keep the breeze out. Install the slot drain and if you cannot pipe it to daylight, put a sump pump in the corner of the interior of the garage to pipe the water away.
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Dec 01, 2011
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addressing the water issue's REAL easy if you can get an umbrella to fit over your property ;-) failing that, the slot drain is the best answer altho it will cost more than building a diversion berm,,, the slot darin can be installed parallel w/the garage while a berm should be angled to the observed fall line of the water.
Its Really Concrete, Inc.
on Dec 01, 2011
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Gotta add my 3 cents: I had the same problem since moving in 2 years ago and it drive me nuts. I just purchased a "fix" which is the rubber gasket idea but it's attached to the floor with construction adhesive. So far it's worked perfectly. I didn't have wet walls, though. Just a leak under the door that puddled water inside.
Jo C
on Dec 01, 2011
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Hard to stop the wind or water unless your re slope the concrete. Best bet would be to waterproof the dry wall with "Backer board". You do this by tearing out the bottom part of the old gyp board and add the new backer board. That way when water comes in it won't ruin the new waterproof board. When you expose the wood, waterproof it as well. This would be the cheapo fix! C.R. Draves
CR Draves . com
on Dec 01, 2011
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I have seen this before. You do not have a proper drain and proper drainage angle. Your Driveway is not pitched AWAY properly. A General Contractor can install a ( garage door length) Drain in front of the Garage Door. It will percolate down, properly, and drain away into a field.
Charles R
on Dec 01, 2011
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that ' drain ' is called a slot drain & both apron/vest stores carry 4" in stock,,, anyone can install it - its a diy project if you have any common sense, can read, & follow the directions :-)
Itsreally C
on Dec 01, 2011
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I found this on Amazon in case anyone comes across this and wonders how i fixed this issue... http://amzn.com/B00008YGQS
Seth F
on Mar 06, 2012
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That's great Seth, simple and effective.
Peace Painting Co., Inc.
on Mar 06, 2012
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Thanks for sharing, Seth. Just curious, is the water now pooling outside of the door, but at least not coming into the garage?
Southern Trillium LLC
on Mar 06, 2012
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It does a little bit but the grooves I cut in the concrete carry it away and then slope takes over and pulls it away.
Seth F
on Mar 06, 2012
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Sounds like a great solution. Nicely done.
Southern Trillium LLC
on Mar 06, 2012
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much cheaper than the slot drain but if it works better than nothing, good for you ! you probably could have sawed rain grooves into the conc w/o adding the gasket, too
Its Really Concrete, Inc.
on Mar 08, 2012
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Do have a gutter on the house to pull the water away..
Cher D
on May 12, 2012
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Cher, it's hard to see, but he does have a downspout coming off the gutter to divert the water away. it's on the picture on the left side.
Gordon F
on May 14, 2012
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Seth, A Trench drain might be a good option to prevent this water coming into your garage. http://www.aquaguard.net/core/images/waterproofing/basement-flooding/basement-flooded-stairs/grated-basement-stair-drain-lg.jpg
AquaGuard Foundation Solutions
on May 16, 2012
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trench drain, slot drain - a rose is still a rose,,, the drain shown is avail at your local apron/vest store but i wouldn't use it if i were driving our cars over it
Its Really Concrete, Inc.
on May 17, 2012
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what about placing a 2-3 inch high rubber splatter guard across the bottom of the door that meets the driveway flush when it closes?
Therese C
on May 26, 2012
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other than it might scrunch up when the door closes ?? how would you keep the proper tension/force on the ' guard ' to prevent wtr infiltration ?
Its Really Concrete, Inc.
on May 27, 2012
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The ones we have used have a steel rod top and bottom that keep it down and in place.
Therese C
on May 29, 2012
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have a source or product name ? tnx in adv
Its Really Concrete, Inc.
on May 29, 2012
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I have a product for you that is slightly cheaper than what we used and just as good. Go to BRUSHWeatherseal.com ..these are flexible non-cracking Santropene rubber that seal the bottom of the door and are easy to install. The cost depending on size are form $48.40- $51.50 plus shipping and handling. Products numbers are as follows (so you do not have to run all over the site) 8' door.H5001 9' door: H5003 & 10' door: H5002 Hope this helps you!
Therese C
on May 30, 2012
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* these products do NOT have the steel rods but are guaranteed NOT to crack, smoosh up, etc..
Therese C
on May 30, 2012
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the car garage door's 18' wide - will i find the steel thingies there, too ? tnx again
Its Really Concrete, Inc.
on May 31, 2012
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They go much larger on their sizes than what I listed for you. The prices I showed was just to give you an Idea. Look for the door seals that have a tube like bottom..you can add your own steel rods inside the tubes if necessary.
Therese C
on May 31, 2012
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Try www.EliteExpressions.com and look for the the ones called "T-Bulbs" in custom lengths. The have the tube style bottom you can fit with a steel rod..good luck!
Therese C
on May 31, 2012
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The problem is most likely not the door but the "grade" of the driveway, or the "grade" of the yard next to the driveway. But determining the problem may take a few questions and potentially some more pictures. I inderstand wanting to Do it once, do it right! So a question, did you have the driveway repoured or do you know if it was repoured when this problem began? If the driveway was repoured, or asphalted about the same time the problems started, then it is likely not done in a manner that gradually slopes away from the garage to ensure adaquate drainage. What about the gutters? Do you have gutters over the door in that area? Are they leaking over the top? Have you cleaned and/or checked for a blocked downspout? can you take pictures of the outside of the door with it closed, and maybe one of the driveway/porch whatever is outside the corner where the water comes in...
Sharron W
on Sep 13, 2012
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Ok, I just looked at the photo of the door closed, sorry....I had to save and rotate it before I could make sense of it...LOL.... So yeah it looks like the grade of your driveway is directly downhill towards your garage, and when it was poured the grade should Also have been sloped away from the garage door.... Just as important as the sheetrock inside the garage, is the framing outside the garage, and it is obviously rotting away and will be an open invitation to termites eventually if not addressed; and of course that's in addition to the actual structural issues you'll eventually have with the door if the situation isn't resolved. The Blue Dot on the picture below, represents your downspout, if you look at how the drive "should" have been graded and then secondly how it should have been pitched away from the garage door and apparently wasn't; now look at the location of the downspout, where is the water going to run? The path of least resistence and gravity it has no choice. If you want to test the pitch, take a level outside the garage door and perpendicular to the door, when placed touching the door, which way is it pitched? As you take the level further from the garage door, which way is it pitched? anyway...I hope this was some help to you because you are going to need to really resolve the problem before you start sheetrocking and door seals.....
Sharron W
on Sep 13, 2012
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here's what we just did for a condo assoc - your solution's probably still a properly installed slot drain but the abovegrade curb ( rainwater diverter ) is a less expensive alternate
Its Really Concrete, Inc.
on Sep 14, 2012
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We have a roll down door on our metal garage. It has a rubber seal on the bottom that is supposed to keep water out when door is locked down tight. DID NOT WORK. We bought some of that rubber strips that are for electric lines and glued it down because it has a hump that would meet the rubber on the door. Did not work. so we tried putting silicone on the outside of the rubber strip. It is worse than ever. We are at a standstill. Garage floor is even concrete and driveway is slanted down from garage to ground.
Djm244746
on Oct 13, 2013
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Wouldn't a channel grate installed on the approach be a better solution to accommodate vehicular traffic and divert the water away from either side. check out NDS website
Trish
on Nov 25, 2013
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