[mattsk8]

This door is a Reliabuilt from lowes. It leaked as soon as it would rain (I know I have everything caulked to perfection) so I contacted lowes and they put me in touch w/ reliabuilt's warranty guy. He told me to caulk where the threshold meets the door frame and see if that solves the problem. I did that and it didn't leak for about 3 weeks until today when it was snowing and freezing rain all day. I have the same stinking leak to figure out AGAIN ! Does this look like the doors faulty or the installation? I'm just glad the floor isnt in yet! Thanks for any help...

 

[paul100]

Do you have any pictures of the outside?

 

[NormW]

How far down is the outside landing from the door?

Snowing and freezing rain in Michigan... I bet water is building up to the level of the threshold. Almost the same as a water dam on a roof. If you have standing water there, might need more than caulk.

Might not be installation, or manufacturer... house design may be the culprit.

 

[HomeElements]

Do you have any pictures of the outside?

I was thinking the same thing. You may need to address why the water is running back into the door instead of the door itself.

 

[Cole82]

I don't see any sill flashing in that pic.

 

[bconley]

I don't see any sill flashing in that pic.

Sill flashing and proper siding flashing? To really know whats happening here we need to see the exterior details,
More pics or a description will help

 

[crovello]

I don't see any sill flashing in that pic.

I agree with Cole,,where is the flashing?
I don't rely on caulking to keep anything from leaking.
If water is coming between the door and threshold I blame the door but if it is coming from under the door I wonder about installation.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[genecarp]

I agree that the flashing pan is important, however i have been guilty of installing many a door without it, and they dont leak if all other conditions are correct. If you have an entranceway with no overhang, an exposure that takes direct weather, and a landing that pitches the wrong way, your only chance is a flashing pan. But most entrance way do not have all those conditions working against it. I would like to see the ext of that door. GMOD

 

[buddy110]

Never used a sill pan never had a door leak in 35+ years. This sounds like a bad landing outside to me, oh and the fact that it's a Lowes door:laughing:

 

[bconley]

Never used a sill pan never had a door leak in 35+ years. This sounds like a bad landing outside to me, oh and the fact that it's a Lowes door:laughing:

The purpose of the pan flashing isn't to prevent a leak it is to prevent the leak from coming under the door. Flashing is to control the leaks.

 

[Cole82]

Never used a sill pan never had a door leak in 35+ years. This sounds like a bad landing outside to me, oh and the fact that it's a Lowes door:laughing:

The purpose of the pan flashing isn't to prevent a leak it is to prevent the leak from coming under the door. Flashing is to control the leaks.

Eaxactly!:thumbsup:

 

[buddy110]

The purpose of the pan flashing isn't to prevent a leak it is to prevent the leak from coming under the door. Flashing is to control the leaks.

Must be dumb luck then:thumbsup:

 

[Cole82]

Must be dumb luck then:thumbsup:

It means you flashed the door well.

 

[bconley]

I didn't mean to sound like a smart ass, but if the water gets past the siding on a properly flashed and papered house it should run right down the paper and past the bottom course of siding to the ground. (not under the door)

 

[CarpenterRN]

Pictures of the outside and more details on how you installed it would be helpful?

 

[mattsk8]

I did flash it but I made the flashing w/ a brake and it was just one bend. The flashing stops about one inch shy of the inside edge of the threshold. I flashed more for a concern that water would enter the basement because those steps are a teeny bit higher than the foundation. I had about a 3/8" gap between the steps and the house that I could tuck the flashing down in so I was sure it went below the top of the foundation. With nothing but sheeting on the exterior, I siliconed the crap out of the floor where the threshold will sit, then siliconed the back edge of the brick mold where it will meet the house. I then finish nailed the brick mold and installed the screws to finish the door install. The cedar trim is installed in the same fashion. I siliconed the crap out of each of the verical columns that run up the sides of the door then did the same thing to the toe kick prior to it's install. Once everything was in, I then siliconed all the edges where the brick mold meets the cedar columns and where the toe kick meets the threshold, I also siliconed where the cedar columns meet the plywood sheeting. I then sided the house...
Also, when I did the flashing I did bend it up on the sides (up the rough in frame) about 3". The other weird thing is that it rained fairly hard here after I siliconed it and there was no water so I was fairly certain the problem was solved until we got this freezing rain.
After looking at the flashing pic I see how having that in would have prevented this problem even if the threshold is the culprate (leaking where it meets the door frame) because w/ this the water has no where to go but out but even so, I've installed exterior doors before and never had this problem.
One more thing, the overhang above it is just a standard 12" (no roof over the entry).

 

[mikec]

It seems odd to me that it would leak, being a decent step on the out side. What did you flash with? (alum., copper). I used copper once, and it would transfer the cold in and condensate inside, looked like a leak, but it was condensation due to no thermal break. Seems aluminum doesn't transfer the cold air as much. Now I use rubber.

 

[Cole82]

Since there is no roof and no sill pan, this is could be what is happening. Have not seen a pic with the door open but assum it has an adjustable seal on the threashold.

There is no insulation in the theshold an when you get snow ice. It melts and goes into the channel and runs to the jamb. Leaking through the corner joint there.

Found a better picture

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTefS47...rt/2005/20050601_Front_Door_page005img003.jpg

 

[genecarp]

Matt, i know they might not want it, but, a storm door may be your only option, at a glance it does not look like you did anything to create the problem. When the door is closed, how tightly does it sit against the weatherstripping, can you adjust the strike to get tighter compression? Sometimes certain exposures are to extreme to deal and storm doors are needed. One more thing, does the door have an adjustable sill? raise it, put a torpedo level on it, which way is it going, GMOD

 

[CarpenterRN]

That sill does have a thermal break, so that's not it. BTW, an all aluminum sill will ice up on the inside when it's real cold. By chance, do you know if the rain was directed towards the door when it leaked and not when it didn't? Did the snow cause a leak as well, or just the rain?


*Add: That was beggining to be my line of thinking, Cole.