# Leaking under garage service door



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Need a picture of the outside not the inside.
Door thresholds should never be even with any solid surface outside the door if it's not covered with a roof.
100% sure way to always have water problems.
Caulking is not the fix, it will always fail.


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## Richo (Dec 6, 2007)

The door only leaks when there is a lot of rain and probably happens when it is blowing at the door. There have been many times it has rained a lot with no water coming in.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I doubt the rain is coming under the threshold but rather between the door and threshold. Test this theory by placing a 1"x 1" between jambs cut to length and against the door on the outside. This creates a wind direction change of 90° twice before it can enter and air despises direction change. 

At one time in the history of exterior doors there was a replaceable seal in thresholds that sealed water out very well. And then someone decided that was just ugly as sin and begin putting the no good seal in the door, and now you know the rest of the story. But lucky for us, those butt ugly thresholds are still available.


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## Richo (Dec 6, 2007)

Fairview said:


> Test this theory by placing a 1"x 1" between jambs cut to length and against the door on the outside.


Just any piece of wood that is 1" square? Nominal 1 X 1 (3/4 square) or actual? How high from the threshold should it be placed?

I suppose I could also test this by creating my own rain with a hose  however, a lot of rain is forecast in the next few days.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

The correct way to have installed that door is with a jamb sill.
Or at least flashed it correctly.
http://jambsill.com/


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Richo said:


> Just any piece of wood that is 1" square? Nominal 1 X 1 (3/4 square) or actual? How high from the threshold should it be placed?
> 
> I suppose I could also test this by creating my own rain with a hose  however, a lot of rain is forecast in the next few days.


From what I can see in the picture the threshold has about a 1/4" rise where the door rests and most of those are made similar. So nominal 1" thick lumber will work as long as it is above the door bottom edge so the wind would need to make a 90 degree down turn there. And a 1x2 would work just as well for a test. It needs to lay on the threshold and butt against the door or as close as possible to make the air movement change direction.

The garden hose alone, in my opinion, wouldn't be a very valid test since the wind is really what's pushing the water under the door in most instances. And from my experience with weather being unpredictable we don't always get the wind direction we need so it may take more than one rain storm.


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## uncommon doors (May 2, 2014)

I would also say that the water is coming in between the threshold and the door. 
Corners are always the most susceptible to this. They make tapered foam corner pads that self adhere to the frame just atop the threshold that work well.
I would also recommend caulking the joint where the threshold meets the door frame on either side with a good polyurethane caulking or a paintable silicone.


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## Richo (Dec 6, 2007)

Thanks for the replies everyone. I will do some investigating and first see where the water is coming from.


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## mako1 (Jan 7, 2014)

I don't like the way the transition from the concrete to the door was made but it is what it is.Caulk wont' fix it as was stated above.There should have been a pan under the threshold.


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