Sealing sloping paved drive - Block paving sealants

[EssexJon]

Silly question time!

I had my front garden paved 4 months ago and it slopes down to my house. Before it was paved I had a tarmac drive. When it rained the water would run down the drive and into the garage. Since having the block paving the rain appears to soak into the paving and the garage remains dry. If I seal the block paving will this prevent the water from soaking into the drive and mean it will run across the surface into my garage again?

[Tony McC]

I'm surpised, and more than a little worried, that the surface water is disappearing into the block paving. Was no drainage installed?

[EssexJon]

Thanks for your reply; There is an iron drain (not manhole cover) about 5 foot in front of the front door and the semi-integral garage is to the left of the house about 5 '6" in front of the house door when viewed from the pavement. Before being paved the rain use to run down the tarmac drive and under the garage door leaving approx the first 18in inside the garage damp. When the paving was laid the contractor finished it about 1cm below the garage floor and now if it rains heavily the water runs off to the right, into the iron drain the top of which is flush with the top of the paving. When it rains "normally " there does not appear to be any rain running down the paving it just seems to soak through the gaps between the blocks. I did ask about having what I think is called a gulley drain installed along the front of the garage but the contractor came up with a load of reasons not to which included, not being able to cut into the existing iron drain and that one wouldn't be needed if the paving was below the garage floor level. In fairness it does seem to have worked but now I'm wondering if sealing the paving will cause all the rain to run down the drive and then there will be too much to stay below the lip into the garage. - should the water not be draining through the gaps between the blocks at all?

[Tony McC]

Without seeing the site, it;s hard to be certain, but I'd guess that, if the pavement is draining properly during a downpour, and directing surface water into that drain, then it's pretty likely that the same will happen when/if the surface is sealed.

Given that your drive backfalls towards the house/garage, it's only the eejit contractors that risk it by not installing an interceptor linear channel drain.