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sweeterthanhoney

leaky garden door

19 years ago

our garden door is leaking when the rain hits it the right way. I've found a puddle of water on the laminate during a hard down pour. It isn't obvious where it is leaking, but ocassionally I have seen a brown drip mark down the center of middle post of the door. It is a PVC door.

Also there are drip marks of water running down the window pane, on the outside.

I am wondering if it is the siding job that is the culprit? The house is almost 5 yrs. One time there was water dripping in the basement right under where this door is when it had been raining.

How would we fix this?

Comments (9)

  • 19 years ago

    What's a garden door? Never heard of a PVC door either. PVC is a plastic used for pipe.
    Might be the reason for no response. More details needed.
    Ron

  • 19 years ago

    Yes, I know PVC is a plastic used for pipe. In Canada, it is also used to make doors and windows.

    A garden door is like a french door that leads to the outside. One door is fixed but has a crank to open the window, and the other door opens to go outside. It swings out[in our case]

    Here is a photo of what I mean.

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • 19 years ago

    Sounds like it could be a flashing issue. Never heard of a window incorporated into a door. How do the leaks relate to the window? Who makes this? Might be a hint on the manufacturers' website as to install methodology. Could you clarify:

    "Also there are drip marks of water running down the window pane, on the outside"

    If it's raining, I would expect water on the outside.
    What type of siding do you have?
    Ron

  • 19 years ago

    we have vinyl siding. But, if it was installed correctly, the flashing piece they put above the door, as they do about a window, then it should drain the rain away from the window, not let it stream down the glass, right?

    I know that the idiots who built our house didn't istall the doors according to the manufactures specs. The frame on the doors are vinyl clad so they don't need maintance, and these yahoo's but the screws right threw the front of the door, destroying the maintance free coating. If they had followed the directions it showed to screw the doors in on the inside of the frame, behind where the weatherstriping is.

    So, if the leaking is because of the way it was installed, the manufacturer won't help us. I am really hoping it is just the flashing [mini evestrophing] above the door.

  • 19 years ago

    Flashing could be:cracked,installed incorrectly,punctured, etc. The siding above the door could be letting water in, running down the wall and getting behind correctly installed flashing. Leak on roof could put water into soffits and then rundown behind the siding, etc ...
    The water issue is above the door if the leaks start there.
    Who makes the door?
    Ron

  • 19 years ago

    the makers of the door are called Armwood Windows and Doors, made out of Manitoba Canada.

    Here is a link to a photo of the side of the house were the door is.

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • 19 years ago

    When viewing the photograph, which side is leaking? From the photo it looks like the right side is the operating door.
    It's possible that the source of the leak is the window above the door. Do you have any shots of the door before the siding was installed?
    Ron

  • 19 years ago

    here is a photo of the house before the siding was installed. We can't see an obvious leak, but where the damage is done on the laminate flooring is right in the middle of the double doors, where the center part of the frame is.

    The operating side of the door is on the right when you are looking at the picture.

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • 19 years ago

    Nice job on the house wrap. Seams are all taped. Looks good.
    From the inside looking out , it looks like the left hand door is the operating unit. The weatherstripping is a compression type? When you close the door look at where the door touches the weatherstripping. Does the door make contact with the weatherstripping from top to bottom at the same time? Does the door compress the weatherstripping evenly? If no, that may be the problem. When the door is closed and locked is there more of a gap at the top? If it's all the same, that's good.
    When the weather permits hook up the hose or sprinkler. Start at the bottom of the door and spray the lower part of the middle of the door. Keep it to a spray that mimics a rain storm. Keep it there for a few minutes. Move up the door a foot or so at a time and let the water test the seal. Work all the way up the door checking to see if water gets in. If no water gets in, start on the siding above the door. Have the water hit the siding on a downward angle resembling rain. At some point the door will probably leak. It may take a while for the water to make it's way into the house. It sort of depends on how complicated it's path is.
    Once you know where the water is getting in, you can fix it. Hope this helps.
    Ron