# Floor drains in detached garage



## MikeC

Does a detached garage require floor drains under the 2009 I-codes?

Our local sanitary authority had always required garage drains to be connected to the sanitary sewer system, stating it is a Pennsylvania DEP requirement (not sure, I have never seen it).  I just approved plans for a 3 stall garage (U occupancy) which calls for floor drains.  I made a note on the plans requiring these drains to hook into the sanitary sewer.  The contractor is wishing to eliminate these floor drains, claiming that it would be too difficult to access the sanitary sewer.  I have reviewed both the IBC & the IPC, but found no requirement for floor drains.  Obviously, this would change the slop of the floor.  Additionally, there is no water supply to this building.

Does anyone know of this PA DEP requirement or where I can find it?


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## north star

*= & =*



MikeC,

There is no requirement in the IRC, ...the IBC or the IPC

to have a floor drain in a detached Garage, unless it were a

Commercial application.........Is yours a Commercial type

application ?

Also, ...if yours IS a Residential application, [ typically  ]

the most common type of spills will be not be allowed to

be introduced in to the sanitary sewer system, until

they go thru an oil or grease interceptor...........See Section

P2601.1 in the `12 IRC,  ...which leads to Section 1003.1

in the `12 IPC.



*= & =*


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## JPohling

^^ totally agree


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## MikeC

This is a commercial application.  Three stall garage accessory to a nursing home.  This wouldn't even be an issue if it were residential.  I would just tell them to slope the floor.  I am fairly new to the commercial code world.  I couldn't find any requirement for floor drains.  This garage is planned to house vehicles (Group U).  There is no plumbing to the structure, so the floor drains are all that would be running to the sanitary sewer.  Elimination of these floor drains would also eliminate the chance of a dry trap.

Does anyone know the PA DEP regulation that prevents them from running the drains to the outside.  In reality, any oil or sand from the vehicles is currently dripping off on to an open parking lot.  Why is it okay to release this on to a parking lot, running into a storm drain, but not onto a garage floor and to an open drain or a storm drain?

Thanks.


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## Francis Vineyard

Fire code section for repair garages;  drainage and disposal.


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## north star

*# : : : #*

MikeC,

As ***Francis Vineyard*** mentioned, Section 2311.2.3 [ `12 IFC ] requires
that Repair Garages capture the various types of petroleum based liquids
& wastes, before being drained in to a sanitary sewer system..........This
requirement is usually accomplished thru the use of Floor or Trench type
drains, ...either inside the structure or outside of the structure.

Regarding the current setting where some vehicles are dripping sand
& oil onto an open parking lot, ...that is not o.k. !............Sand by itself is
not the problem.............The problem is just being allowed to happen,
because to fix it would require someone or some agency to spend lots
of money...............It is cheaper in the short term to just ignore it and let
someone else deal with it, or to spend their money fixing the problem.

Capturing the dripping oily wastes;  in the open parking lot, would be
very costly.

*# : : : **#*


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## mark handler

If  repair garage,  You also  need a grease interceptor

 IBC 1003 A grease trap or grease interceptor shall be required to receive the drainage from ... At repair garages; gasoline stations...

And The clean water act does not allow it to go into the storm drain system, unfiltered


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## MikeC

Looks like the PA DEP is going to require a NPDES permit if the drain does not hook into the sanitary sewer system.  I am waiting for a call back right now.  The plan for the garage is storage of vehicles, but I am sure there will be basic maintenance performed eventually.  The other issue is if there will be a need for trap primers.  If needed, there will be another problem created by the lack of water service to the garage.  It would be easier to just slope to floor towards the door like is allowed in residential.


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## JBI

It is not a Repair Garage. It is a parking garage.

I am unfamiliar with your State environmental regs, in NS it would require a separator if a floor drain(s) were installed.


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## Keystone

MikeC - If the plans identify the area as storage/parking garage that's what you go by despite assumed repairs.

This is 2009 I Codes


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