Ice on Garage floor from snow storm?

Question

I noticed this winter that there seems to be a drainage problem with the area around my garage.  Melting snow and Ice is not draining away from the garage. (yard slopes toward the back of the structure)  This is causing water to infiltrate the garage and turn to ice, Looks like the water is coming in under the siding on the back and side.
I realize when Spring gets here I am going to have to work on the drainage for this area. Either drain tiles or trenching.  Thinking due to the winters here it is going to have to be a trench.
I was thinking of two other options.
1, somekind of waterproof membrane to seal the two sides from the ground up tp about 12 inches.
2, same thing but replace the existing wood siding with a row of brick, up about 3 feet.  Or vinyl siding.

One option I had thought about was to pour a concrete barrier along the back wall, but that still leaves the side wall for infiltration.

This is not a heated garage, it is detached from the house.

Any ideas?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Salt it's the best thing.

ozarks bum · Answer

Whew.  This is a tough one.  Drain tile may not do the job, depending on soil compact and other factors.
If it is coming through at ground level, actually seeping in between your foundation top and sole plate, you either have to lower the ground level or build up. Building up a barrier involves something for it to rest on without shifting, so that could be a bit of a problem.
My first try would be to dig out about a foot of dirt along the foundation, about 8" wide.  I would remove the bottom portion of the siding and pour a second concrete barrier, extending at least six inches above ground level.  You will lose your bottom siding plank, but plantings and fixtures, and landscaping rock can assist in hiding the new portion if that is a concern.
I once had a neighbor who had a one car detached garage with a similar problem.  I am not suggesting this be done, but it is what he did.  He went through the garage sole plate, removing all nuts from concrete set bolts.  He then jacked the entire thing up (it wasn't as hard as it looked), working back and forth until he had it raised high enough to lay one course of cinder block, then lowered in back down.  He drilled some new anchor holes and used red heads after filling some of the cinder block holes with concrete, to hold the existing sole plate in place.  It actually worked.  He used two of those extension poles that are meant for supporting basement beams or walls, they have a screw mechanism built into the top, similar to what you would see on a hydraulic jack.  
Novel idea.  He had a lot of time on his hands, but he got it done working a few hours a day for about two weeks.

matt g · Answer

i suggest a trench outside start on the easier cheaper solutions first then if they dont work you resort to the more complicated solutions maybe dig around the entire garage about a foot and a half down and skim coat a bot 3 feet all the way around it may work

Ice on Garage floor from snow storm?

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