Wet garage!!!!!

[winniewalleye777]

This past year I graduated from college, so now I can finally make some money (albeit not much considering im a teacher). This also means my pickup can finally spend the frigid winter in the garage. Pickup loves it, but all the snow melt is causing a minor flood in the garage of my townhouse. The floor is not sloped at all and the water seems to collect towards the middle.

I try my best to clean my truck off before parking in the garage and try to circulate the air as much as possible, but nothing seems to dry the floor. I have done some google searches and the only thing I can find is a floor mat that seems like it will not last very long. Any easy and inexpensive suggestions? Thanks in advance.

[DTro]

Squeegee

[goose89]

I've got the same thing, winnewalleye. I've got a tuckunder garage that I love for the warmth (not heated, but partially underground with fair amount of "residual" heat from living area above it), but hate because of the winter "swamp". Keep cleaning snow / snirt off before entering like you've been doing, and get a good floor squeegee. I haven't done it, but a shop-vac might not be a bad idea, either.

Congrats on the degree and job too! Just remember, we could be parking on the street of Minneapolis . I don't know how they're doing it this year. I'll take the "swamp" over that anyday. I try to be thankful for my "high class problems."

[winniewalleye777]

Thanks a lot goose. I appreciate it. Yeah I would rather sleep on that wet floor in my garage than live in and have to park in minneapolis.

I like the squeegee idea dtro. One question, though... Will squeegee work with all of the dirt/sand/salty stuff on the floor?

[goose89]

You'll get most of the water, but some of the "crud" will stay behind. I'm thinking of giving the shop-vac a whirl. It'll be a constant battle til spring, or until I get a real heated garage (after I win the lotto). good luck.......

[BoxMN]

The big heavy duty squeege will get most of it. My neighbor has the same issue. When I built my garage I sloped the floor to the doors, which works great, but with flat floor about the best you can do is squeegie. The mat idea will att least keep it all in one place, with grooves running to door, so a bit cleaner for sweeping water snirt out. Good luck, and congrats on the job

[fivebucks]

Been doing the squeeggeee thing for years that it is just habit now.

[lovebigbluegills]

I keep my garage heated with a wood stove, but I also plow snow. As mentioned, I clean off as much snow as I can before I pull into the garage.

After my pickup is melted off and dry, I'll back it out, and spread the water around to the dry spots on the floor, and the ceiling fan will dry those spots off relatively quickly. It helps a bit too to open a couple windows to get some not-so-humid air flowing through for a little bit.

I tried sweeping the water outside the door, but then I end up with a skating rink.

[Tom7227]

You can buy a floor squeegee that is about 32 inches wide and angled a bit at the outside edges. FF probably has them. Downside as noted is the ice buildup at the garage entrance. A box fan may take care of some of the spots if it isn't too wet and it will also thaw off the vehicles more quickly.

[bullheaded]

Go outside and spred a big shovel full of snow on your dirty floor. With a push broom or squeegee push all the snow out.

[delcecchi]

Sounds like a heated garage ought to come with a floor drain. How about a drywell/sump arrangement to collect the water and let it drain into the ground? It probably really isn't that much water, and if you don't have the clay that I do it should work.

Anybody actually try such a thing?

[Down Deep]

I have a sloped floor, but I still get water in the garage. I use a squeegee and leave an old box fan running when the floor is wet.

[Smokey]

Sounds like a good idea. By chance does anyone know where I could get an old 20" box fan?

[SkunkedAgain]

Buy a $10 push broom at the hardware store. It'll push out the snow/slush/water well enough to get the floor dry enough to air dry.

[CarpinMNRiver]

I heard somewhere on here there is a 20 inch box fan for sale.

[HooknHorns]

False info there. The fan is free. If your lucky he might still have it posted.

[caughtacase73]

I just finished trying the snow method suggested by Bullheaded. I can't believe how well it worked. The snow soaked up the water and all the dirt. I pushed it back and forth a couple of times and them pushed it to the driveway with a broom. My garage floor is shiny clean. As a bonus, the snow soaks up the water and dirt and can be shoveled off the driveway. No more dirty and icy driveway. Thanks Bullheaded. Nice idea.