Leaking door

[Max93]

Is there a good fix for a leaking service door? The builder says it’s installed correctly and that I should install a storm door. Water appears to be leaking Bett the door and the threshold.

 

[Spud McGee]

Looks like its running down the sides of the door. What do the weather strip and trim pieces look like that run vertically beside the door?
I had a similar leak that I solved with a little bead of clear caulk.

And what does the ground look like on the other side of the door? Is the door at or below the ground? Is water able to pool out there?

 

[Max93]

This garage was built last fall so everything is new. The ground is about 4” lower than the door. I can get more pics of the weatherstripping and outside of the door when I get home tonight.

 

[wayne55]

Was it caulked between the metal threshold and concrete floor on the exterior side? Sorry, I enlarged the picture and it does not appear to have a metal threshold. I guess water is just collecting on the exterior side and running in. You could grind the exterior concrete where it would drain away.

 

[Max93]

Yes. The caulked under the threshold when it was installed and I caulked the outside again thinking it was leaking under there.

 

[dcg9381]

What's outside that door? I've got a low point outside my shop door, not a lot I can do about it. Water collects. I have had homes that had exterior doors which were subjected to a lot of rain when it was windy, got leaks in some of those, but eventually got them fixed through working on the door and fiberglass thresholds, but it's harder to do with concrete.

 

[wssix99]

This is typical...

The installer was lazy, didn't install the corner wedges or caulk them in properly. You can get the correct seals from any home store: https://www.homedepot.com/p/M-D-Bui...7LSCGC8D0TM7xisrpG4aAvzzEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Check out the door manufacturer on the label on the side of the door and their instructions should show how to properly bed these in and seal around them.

 

[nadogail]

Lazy Installers have been known to do bad work.

Silicone Caulk has saved many bad jobs.

 

[Max93]

When taking these pics, I noticed the weatherstrip on the bottom of the door was curled under and has a memory to stay that way. I took it off and turned it around. Still leaks

 

[nmk_61802]

May need to tighten the lower threshold. Should barely be able to tug a sheet of paper free when properly adjusted. I will say that mine leaked there in a driving rain and I could only get it to stop by tightening the threshold to where it deformed the lower sweep. I eventually added a storm door, which fit how used the space anyway.

 

[BillK]

Is there any type of overhang to keep water off the door ? My house has that kind of door in front and back. The way the threshold adjusts I just dont see how you can make it completely waterproof. We have storm doors on ours and there is also a pretty good overhang on both of them so they really do not get direct rain.

 

[wayne55]

Run a small bead where the metal meets the upright wood on both sides of the door on the exterior.

 

[jkuro]

The builder says it’s installed correctly

It may be installed correctly but it's not sealed correctly.

 

[steel 35]

5’ Gutter & a chain drain helped mine a lot.

 

[Max93]

There is not much of a roof over hang that protects this area. I did already caulk the wood Jamb to the aluminum threshold. I’m now thinking that maybe it’s leaking between the jamb extension and the jamb and running out under the threshold. Hopefully I’ll have some time this weekend to try to resolve this.

 

[zippyslug31]

Man, I feel ya. I have this exact same problem, with a very similar situation. I've tried jetting a bunch of caulk under the threshold but mine still gets some water inside.
My door is west facing and fairly exposed. And as steel35 mentioned, do you have gutters?
I think this is going to be part of my solution, plus I want to build a covered area over the door to protect the entire area. I think that will be my fix for my problem; maybe something to consider?

 

[Bert_]

Take a picture of the outside of the door. Showing the inside doesn't mean much

 

[Max93]

Post 9 is the outside of the door.

 

[Fav Onefour]

Bummer deal. A door should stop rain. There are quite a few buildings with doors. If they all leaked, we'd have a problem. Some doors are just junk, but your door looks dang familiar. If it is the brand I'm thinking, I have a number of those doors. They seem to do fairly well.

Get out a hose and start spraying. Start at the lowest point. The first pic makes it appear that the water is coming under the threshold, but time after the rain changes the look as water dissipates. The hose spray will highlight the leaking with a better view of the flow.

I'm not sure where it was caulked underneath, but look for leaks on the threshold extension and also the joint between the threshold and adjustable sill. The corner gasket in one picture looks a little beat up. Those are rarely the sole source of leaking, but maybe you'll get lucky.

I did like your idea with the sweep. That was a good step. Too bad it didn't fix the leaking. I'd also caution against adjusting the sill too tight. It actually kinks the sweep brush/squeege and causes premature wear. It also makes the door harder to operate. They work best with goldilocks adjustment.

Good luck. I'm guessing you will find the source.

 

[PWC Repair]

Mine was doing that under a heavy rain.......I don't have a threshold at all. I hung a cheapo awning, cost me about $40 and an hour of time.......problem solved.

 

[Max93]

I took out the adjustable part of the threshold and removed the foam corner blocks. Was blowing it with an air hose to clean and dry it out when I noticed these pieces are loose. I can blow air behind them and feel it coming out under the threshold. I’m hoping that is my leak. I caulked it up and will report back after it dries and I test it out.

 

[Fav Onefour]

Good find.
You seem to be getting closer to the source. I wonder why water is getting to that point? I can't see in the pictures, but is there a gasket to the outside on the adjustable sill?
Maybe this image will help explain?

If it doesn't have a gasket, the water could have been sneaking under the sill and running out the ends.

 

[rayra]

Looking at the rain-beaten condition of the dirt immediately outside the door, you likely need to do something about the water hitting the door or splashing up onto it.
But seconding that the sill wasn't installed or caulked correctly.
It also doesn't seem to have any outward slope to it, but hard to tell from the angled nature of your pictures.
It should be primarily installed / sloped to shed water away from the interior. Caulking should be a secondary defense because it WILL fail.

And injecting or top-applying caulking now, after the install and while things are wet is no solution at all.

 

[dcg9381]

Pull the threshold. Create a fiberglass "pan" under it. Reinstall threshold.

 

[Max93]

Still leaking. Now I’m wondering if it’s leaking behind the brick molding on the outside. How do I remove the threshold without destroying it? Tell me more about a fiberglass pan.

 

[jkuro]

IMHO, the easiest thing would be to pull out the whole door. Then you can see what's going on. Put in the proper caulking and flashing and reinstall door.

 

[Max93]

I’m starting to think that pulling the door is my next step. Do I need to remove the vinyl siding first or can I just remove the door? Not sure if I can just remove the door with the flashing on the top overlapping the doors brick molding

 

[nmk_61802]

May need to tighten the lower threshold. Should barely be able to tug a sheet of paper free when properly adjusted. I will say that mine leaked there in a driving rain and I could only get it to stop by tightening the threshold to where it deformed the lower sweep. I eventually added a storm door, which fit how used the space anyway.

Did you try taping plastic over the sill then spraying down the door? I still think it is in the lower sweep. That is a big weak spot if exposed and no overhang.

I installed my own door and had all the flashing correct and it still leaked thru the lower sweep when rain ran down the door face. Looked exactly like your picture. Worked its way under the adjustable sill and out the adjustment bolts under the sill.

 

[The Cobbler]

I would spray with a hose , start from the bottom & work up. have someone inside look for the leak . at least you can narrow it down . my suspicion is water running down the door and leaking in around the weatherstrip and sweep

 

[Fav Onefour]

I get the idea of pulling the whole door. And yes, you can without pulling the J channel. The top flashing can be a little more tricky depending on the style and overlap. The reinstallation can be a bit more effort. You are putting in a used door. It's easier when all the surfaces are clean and flat.

I do feel like you need to find the leak location first. It could be a lot of wasted effort to tear out and reinstall if the door/threshold is your leak.

The threshold idea is interesting. I'm not clear on the fiberglass pan though. I will caution that those doors probably have the threshold frame stapled from outside. It would take some patience to get a clean tear out on the old threshold.

 

[Kpaige]

So just thinking outside the box but is there Z flashing on top of the door ? Flashing that is under the siding and house wrap then comes out around the top brick molding?
If not it could run all the way down.

 

[Kpaige]

I would do a water test use a hose with a light fan spray pattern only hit the very bottom sill only first work your way up slowly till it starts to leak. Don’t move quick it could take some time for water to work it’s way in.

 

[Kpaige]

Oh also just to make others aware some doors are now coming with “weeping sills”any water that could work its way in through connections and joints actually runs through the sill and out the front. My doors on my house do this. When they were being installed I asked about these joints and water intrusion and the carpenter had a sill side cut to show me. He said bad idea to seal would be like caulking the weep holes on a window.

 

[Kpaige]

So
I took a second look at your pictures. It appears your door is set up on top of the curb if I am correct. The water looks like it is coming from under. The door should be set in a bed of sealant and if that is concrete block did they fill that block solid? There is probably enough water slashing up onto the bottom to weep in through the concrete.
I would pull the door. Make sure the block is filled, bend up a sill pan from aluminum that bends down and covers the concrete below the door and extends up the framing on the sides along with a vertical lip in the rear then without sealant on the bottom so water has an escape path reset the door and flash correctly on the top and sides. Similar to this pic but extend the front all the way down.

 

[nmk_61802]

So
I took a second look at your pictures. It appears your door is set up on top of the curb if I am correct. The water looks like it is coming from under. The door should be set in a bed of sealant and if that is concrete block did they fill that block solid? There is probably enough water slashing up onto the bottom to weep in through the concrete.
I would pull the door. Make sure the block is filled, bend up a sill pan from aluminum that bends down and covers the concrete below the door and extends up the framing on the sides along with a vertical lip in the rear then without sealant on the bottom so water has an escape path reset the door and flash correctly on the top and sides. Similar to this pic but extend the front all the way down.

No joints, looks like a solid curb.

 

[jonesg]

up here in Maine they build entry foyers, called a mud room.
Where else are you gonna hang the traps and snow shoes.

 

[Max93]

Finally got it fixed. It was was where the jamb meets the metal threshold. It was caulked, not sure it it was done at the factory or by the guy that installed the door , but the caulk was leaking. I found it by blowing under the threshold with an air hose and spraying with soapy water. Cleaned out the old caulk and recaulked it and no more leaks. I am also having gutters installed next week to help keep water away. Thanks for all the help.

 

[Kpaige]

Finally got it fixed. It was was where the jamb meets the metal threshold. It was caulked, not sure it it was done at the factory or by the guy that installed the door , but the caulk was leaking. I found it by blowing under the threshold with an air hose and spraying with soapy water. Cleaned out the old caulk and recaulked it and no more leaks. I am also having gutters installed next week to help keep water away. Thanks for all the help.

Glad you got it fixed!
Sad it was a joint like that as caulk should never be the solution to water intrusion it should only be a secondary protection

 

[Uncle murph]

Is there a good fix for a leaking service door? The builder says it’s installed correctly and that I should install a storm door. Water appears to be leaking Bett the door and the threshold.

Doors are supposed to keep the weather out,if it’s not then he needs to fix it.

 

[The Cobbler]

That was easier than removing the entire door & frame
great news