Leaking Aluminium Joinery

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nzlowie

21 posts

Geek

#315136 17-Jun-2024 09:15

Hi all,
I have a problem with a leaking aluminium sliding door, the house is newish around 12yrs. We’ve only been in a couple of years. The house was built by an older builder who’s done a really good job so I don’t think its an install error. We get wet patch’s on both lower corners of the slider when the weather comes from the north, this is on the second story. Checked all around the exterior and can’t for the life of me see where it could be coming in apart from through the joinery itself. The drains are clear, all exterior edges are flashed so where could it be coming in?

Called the company that supplied the joinery (a major supplier in the BOP) and they told me sorry we don’t do domestic anymore we just to commercial supply.

Appreciate your thoughts.

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6480 posts

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#3249862 17-Jun-2024 09:47

It will narrow down the speculation and theories if you could post a picture showing where the water gets in. If you can't draw on the picture tape some arrows on the door.

mdf

3513 posts

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Trusted

#3249875 17-Jun-2024 10:26

Does the joinery have drainage holes? Usually a slot in the drainage channel at the bottom of the joinery.

Groucho

524 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3249887 17-Jun-2024 11:22

We had a similar problem at our old house where the bottom of the sliding door frame would fill with water after rain. Turned out the small drainage holes were getting clogged up with cat fur dropped from the cat flap also installed in the glass. Oops! Got in the habit of vacuuming out the fur and clearing the drains with a pipe cleaner.

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3249896 17-Jun-2024 11:53

nzlowie:

Hi all,
I have a problem with a leaking aluminium sliding door, the house is newish around 12yrs. We’ve only been in a couple of years. The house was built by an older builder who’s done a really good job so I don’t think its an install error. We get wet patch’s on both lower corners of the slider when the weather comes from the north, this is on the second story. Checked all around the exterior and can’t for the life of me see where it could be coming in apart from through the joinery itself. The drains are clear, all exterior edges are flashed so where could it be coming in?

Called the company that supplied the joinery (a major supplier in the BOP) and they told me sorry we don’t do domestic anymore we just to commercial supply.

Appreciate your thoughts.

need pics. general outside pocs of flashing and sides, and detailed of inside where the water is. if its both corners i'm picking its a flashing issue. if it was the frame or window it should just drain into the tracks and out the drain (or the tracks will be filled with water).

btw age of builder means nothing.

gzt

17118 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#3249904 17-Jun-2024 12:20

Groucho: We had a similar problem at our old house where the bottom of the sliding door frame would fill with water after rain. Turned out the small drainage holes were getting clogged up

Common problem. The op has not mentioned drainage holes and is probably unaware of their existence. Time for discovery and a cleanout : ).

Bung

6480 posts

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#3249914 17-Jun-2024 13:00

gzt:
Groucho: We had a similar problem at our old house where the bottom of the sliding door frame would fill with water after rain. Turned out the small drainage holes were getting clogged up

Common problem. The op has not mentioned drainage holes and is probably unaware of their existence. Time for discovery and a cleanout : ).

Time to reread the original post "The drains are clear, all exterior edges are flashed so where could it be coming in?"

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3249917 17-Jun-2024 13:14

Bung: Time to reread the original post "The drains are clear, all exterior edges are flashed so where could it be coming in?"

there is flashing and then there is flashing.

the other thing is the other drains. not the window or door drain but the drainage gap between the door and timber. have seen it where people, or trades, block up the drainage plane. wind blown water can get past flashing and is draining into the house rather than down the drainage plane to the outside.

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mdf

3513 posts

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Trusted

#3249935 17-Jun-2024 13:56

Bung: Time to reread the original post "The drains are clear, all exterior edges are flashed so where could it be coming in?"

Where are the drainage holes in relation to the wet patches? Sounds like a wind driven issue and I've definitely seen water collect in the drainage channels and with wind coming in the drainage holes, blow it up and in the house. On one occassion, I got a delightful burbling bubbling noise to soundtrack it.

mattwnz

20152 posts

Uber Geek

#3249961 17-Jun-2024 14:53

tweake:

nzlowie:

Hi all,
I have a problem with a leaking aluminium sliding door, the house is newish around 12yrs. We’ve only been in a couple of years. The house was built by an older builder who’s done a really good job so I don’t think its an install error. We get wet patch’s on both lower corners of the slider when the weather comes from the north, this is on the second story. Checked all around the exterior and can’t for the life of me see where it could be coming in apart from through the joinery itself. The drains are clear, all exterior edges are flashed so where could it be coming in?

Called the company that supplied the joinery (a major supplier in the BOP) and they told me sorry we don’t do domestic anymore we just to commercial supply.

Appreciate your thoughts.

need pics. general outside pocs of flashing and sides, and detailed of inside where the water is. if its both corners i'm picking its a flashing issue. if it was the frame or window it should just drain into the tracks and out the drain (or the tracks will be filled with water).

btw age of builder means nothing.

I have seen new builds where there is water pooling in the track due to them forgetting to install drainage holes

nzlowie

21 posts

Geek

#3250076 17-Jun-2024 16:38

Thanks everyone, attached a few photos showing where the leaks are. Lower corners of the door frame.

The others are the flashings, the top flashing extends around 40-50mm up under the cladding. The side flashings have foam seals. Last photo is a wire going through the drain, there and open.

Hopefully the pictures are attached.....

nzlowie

21 posts

Geek

#3250077 17-Jun-2024 16:40

FineWine

2981 posts

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Nurse (R)

Lifetime subscriber

#3250102 17-Jun-2024 17:05

Using a Hose Soap Dispenser attachment filled with diluted food colouring spray the entire suspect area but do it in small sections at a time

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

gzt

17118 posts

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#3250106 17-Jun-2024 17:14

In the fail condition do you see water on the inside of the track and are there any drain holes on that side?

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3250108 17-Jun-2024 17:17

whats the 3rd pic of ?

i would check its not condensation or leak from window seals (they shrink over time) dripping down to that bottom ledge and draining to the corner. normally only to one corner unless the door is a bit bowed.

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3250109 17-Jun-2024 17:25

to add, check under the bottom of the door where it meats the wall. it should have an open section for water that gets in in-between the frame and the wall, to drain out.

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