Front door leaking - how to fix this?

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lissie

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#1292814 28-Apr-2015 11:07

mclean: A couple of things: The profile of the sill is wrong for a door that's exposed to rain - it should have an up-stand at the threshold. Also it's hard to tell from the pictures but the thing you've installed at the bottom looks more like a draught excluder than a weather stop.

Your best bet is probably to fit a proper aluminium threshold plate across the sill, and a mechanical bottom seal on the door that seals against the threshold plate. A mechanical seal is one with a rubber seal that mechanically presses down on the plate when the door closes. You may need to undercut the door to get the threshold plate in - if you do then re-prime and paint the bottom edge before re-hanging it. Also make sure the threshold plate is tight and sealed against the jambs at each end so that any water coming down the door edges drains out rather than in.

Check the Raven website at www.raven.com.au. Mitre-10 has most of the seals, but you may have to order the threshold plate.

There seems to be an Al threashold you descrbe on the sides of the door - but not the bottom - so what you are saying makes sense to me - we may need to find a Hire a Hubby type to do it though

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Hammerer

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#1293060 28-Apr-2015 16:35

lissie: ...
Long term though am I right in thinking the solution is a porch?

A porch doesn't necessarily have screening walls so it would have to be an 'enclosed porch'.

We have a similar problem. We have door with no porch, only the eaves, facing WNW when the predominant wind is NW or N. We also have spouting that, in heavy rain, overflows less than a metre from the door. So we get a lot of water splashing on the door. The weatherseal keeps most of it out and prevents it being a problem.

scuwp

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#1293090 28-Apr-2015 18:57

My vote is that you have the wrong product. As already mentioned there is a model that pivots down, using stoppers on each side to push it down and seal against the sill when closed.

Something like this:

http://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/hardware/door_furniture/raven_door_bottom_automatic_weather_seal_915mm_anodised_bronze_212057/

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JayADee

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#1293284 29-Apr-2015 08:25

I had the same problem on a 1950's door but it is under a makeshift roof. It would leak like mad with blowing rain. I put a piece of quarter round dowling across the bottom of the door to extend the drip zone outward and belt sanded a slightly steeper angle onto the door sill from about that point and it hasn't leaked since.

I also installed a plastic strip on the opposite side as a draft stopper. One of those stick on ones you buy.

Our other front door has an original and much wider "shelf" of wood attached on an acute angle which serves this function I presume but it has been enclosed by a porch since we moved in so I don't know how well it works. Probably fine.

bfginger

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#1295180 1-May-2015 17:18

Most European joinery has very good air and water tightness. So if you can't fix the existing door a European uPVC door should be a good remedy for the problem.

Also, if you go for a new door, consider PVC. They only come in white and wood effect, but they're better for insulation that aluminium. Aluminium's only advantage is it comes in a range of colors. Thermally broken aluminium costs similar about to PVC, PVC may be slightly cheaper.

Not all uPVC is better than thermally broken aluminium joinery at retaining heat. The best PVC profiles will be better but it is mostly the low end ones installed here. You can ask what profiles they have available.

The PVC industry does a hard sell around uPVC but comparisons are not always favourable. Aluminium window frames are usually smaller which allows more glass and sill area for an example.

I recommend making sure they quote for multi-point locking and argon for the double glazing.

mattwnz

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#1295316 1-May-2015 21:17

as others have said, the door sill is poorly designed and should have an upstand. It is possible the sill could be redone somehow to put one in. I have a door that is exactly the same design and it can also leak. But it has a piece of timber that juts at at the bottom of hte door provides protection. Some form of theshold strip which when it is closed is forced down, should also do the trick. Certainly changing the door to an aluminium one is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, and they obviously want to sell you a door.

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mattwnz

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#1295318 1-May-2015 21:20

bfginger: Most European joinery has very good air and water tightness. So if you can't fix the existing door a European uPVC door should be a good remedy for the problem.
Also, if you go for a new door, consider PVC. They only come in white and wood effect, but they're better for insulation that aluminium. Aluminium's only advantage is it comes in a range of colors. Thermally broken aluminium costs similar about to PVC, PVC may be slightly cheaper.
Not all uPVC is better than thermally broken aluminium joinery at retaining heat. The best PVC profiles will be better but it is mostly the low end ones installed here. You can ask what profiles they have available.

The PVC industry does a hard sell around uPVC but comparisons are not always favourable. Aluminium window frames are usually smaller which allows more glass and sill area for an example.

I recommend making sure they quote for multi-point locking and argon for the double glazing.

The big problem with PVC is that they are butt ugly and look cheap. Windows lose a lot more heat through the glass than anything else anyway.

blakamin

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#1295323 1-May-2015 21:30

Weather stopper with the door open..

Hits a round pin on the lock side when it's closed and folds down.

Hammerer

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#1295422 1-May-2015 23:00

blakamin, good to show the seal at work.

The OP would need to get it cut a lot closer to the jamb to prevent the water blowing around the side of the seal.

blakamin

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#1295433 1-May-2015 23:36

Hammerer: blakamin, good to show the seal at work.

The OP would need to get it cut a lot closer to the jamb to prevent the water blowing around the side of the seal.

Ours is cut so the door shuts... the 5-8mm gap at the end isn't really an issue. You could probably leave the rubber a bit longer than the ali at that end.
That door used to get leaves blowing through under it! :D

If the OP had a seal like this ($27 at bunnings) and a 5mm riser in front, all the probs would be solved.
OP's main problem is the fact the aluminium stip is permanetly down with no rubber seal at the bottom.

tdgeek

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#1295453 2-May-2015 06:23

The OP said its coming from underneath. Is it possible that its not actually the door, but a house leak under the door, possible helped by capillary action? Maybe a quick and dirty test is to cover that under door area with an old towel in the next rain, to see if that stops water flowing in, and if so, seal under the door

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Azzura

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#1295461 2-May-2015 07:27

Looks to me you could add a 1/2" W 1/4"H wood across the threshold (creating a a small lip before the door) with a piece of foam weather stripping (peel and stick should work) on the inside. So when the door closes it compress the weather stripping firmly enough to prevent water getting in. The wood will create the main barrier from water coming in from underneath the door....while the weather stripping prevents what comes down the door from leaking in.

I would also suggest the need to silicone seal in the bottom corners of the door frame/threshold with and along the front of the installed wood strip that faces out (to prevent any chance water migrates under the new strip).

Honestly, you may want to consider doing this wood strip all the way round and remove what you currently have in place (which doesn't go all the way to the bottom...allowing an avenue for water to get in).

The lip I am suggesting along the bottom would look something like this.

KennyM

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#1300251 7-May-2015 22:11

Remove the door, remove the timber that the door closes against, turn hinges and locking latch around, re install door as an open out door, run new timber around inside for the door to close against including the bottom, phil and paint any marks.

It doesn't look like the main entrance, open out will be fine, or replace seal like another person suggested. Raven seal thresholds are not cheap, replacing timber and painting would probably be cheaper (timber might even come off and be reuseable)

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