by Joan
How can you stop the drain pipe from freezing in the garage?
+7
We live in the north so the drain pipe becomes frozen and then thaws in the spring leaving pools of water. We thought of widening the drain but wonder if water will get under the floating concrete and cause more problems.
9 answers
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I think you need to speak to someone who is in the gutter business. This needs professional advice.
![Janet Pizaro]()
Janet Pizaro
on Mar 18, 2016
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Without seeing a picture of the area. Just guessing that if you have a area where you can dig down under the drain pipe. Dig down far enough say 2 feet by 2 feet and fill it with gravel and make kind of a french drain for it. Depending on the amount of rain that you get you may need to dig deeper. And by the way try to keep it far enough away from the concrete.
![Frank C]()
Frank C
on Mar 19, 2016
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It sounds like the water table is too close to the surface in spring due to frost still being in the soil. try digging a trench around the garage to just lower than the level of the cement pad. It worked for my son's garage
![Judy Riley]()
Judy Riley
on Mar 19, 2016
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pour antifreeze down the drain pipe to displace the water. not a permanent fix but a short term solution
![John frankelis]()
John frankelis
on Mar 19, 2016
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Would need to see pictures of what you are describing as a drain pipe in the floor.
![Arenda Villarreal]()
Arenda Villarreal
on Mar 19, 2016
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Try heat tape in the area, all I know, get the water proof heat tape of course, most are. Good luck!
![Patricia L Bigbie]()
Patricia L Bigbie
on Mar 19, 2016
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We have our water meter and shut off valve in the unheated part of our garage along with the supply pipe that runs into the basement from the meter. I bought a couple of heavy duty heat tapes and wrapped the pipes from the shut off valve/meter on the floor to where the pipes go from the garage into our basement. We then wrapped the meter in fiberglas insulation too. Not sure how it impacts the electric bill, but it keeps our pipes from freezing. We live in Michigan.
![Chris J]()
Chris J
on Mar 19, 2016
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Try foam insulation sheets, if it's inside your garage give it as much protection as you can. I had a friend her washer was in the garage. When it got cold her drain pipe would freeze. She used a sheet of foam insulation, and no more problems.
![Elizabeth]()
Elizabeth
on Mar 19, 2016
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We are putting rock salt in the drain.
![Joan]()
Joan
on Mar 20, 2016
Janet Pizaro
on Mar 18, 2016
Frank C
on Mar 19, 2016
Judy Riley
on Mar 19, 2016
John frankelis
on Mar 19, 2016
Arenda Villarreal
on Mar 19, 2016
Patricia L Bigbie
on Mar 19, 2016
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