How to fix glass sliding doors leaking at bottom?

[serenab]

Hello I am in the process of removing all the carpet and replacing with engineered timber.  However, I have found water damaged located at the bottom corner of each sliding glass door frame. I would like to fix this before putting down the new timber flooring. The tracks are clean but I couldn't find any obvious weep holes to make sure they were clear. Looking at the photos of the outside of the house that meets the frame, should that part be exposed to weather? Could water be getting in here? My thoughts are that I should fill it with exterior no more gaps. Also of note, if it rains heavily with strong wind, the track fills up on the inside. Is this okay?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. 

   

 

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @serenab,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

It looks like the water is getting in between the weatherboards and the aluminium frame. 

I'd suggest filling these gaps and any others you can find with No More Gaps Exterior Gap Filler like you've suggested.

Start by thoroughly cleaning around the frame to remove any dirt or debris that can affect adhesion of your sealant.

You'll need to cut the plastic tips that come with your caulking so the hole will allow a bead of caulking that is wide enough to cover the gap without any holes that water can get through.

Once you're ready to go, work from top to bottom ensuring you use enough caulk to cover the gap fully. You need to fully cover the gap, so don't go light on your application. It is likely you will need quite a few tubes to fully cover all gaps along the full height of the door.

Now the No More Gaps is in place, you can strike off the bead and tidy things up using a combination of the Paint Partner 4 Piece Silicone Scrapers and a plastic scraper.

Also, keep a bucket of water and some rags handy to clean up where required.

You might like to have a look at How To Silicone a Gap for a demonstration of the technique required.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob
 

[Reuben]

Hi, If i want it to be fixed by a professional, what do you call that person? Can you refer a company or a person here in Brisbane? Thank you.

[JacobZ]

Hi @Reuben,

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community and thank you for your question.

It really depends on where the problem lies.

If the problem is with the door itself, you would contact a carpenter.

If the problem is with the glass in the frame, you would use a glazier.

If there are gaps around the frame that need caulking, you could contact a caulker or handyman.

If you have a photo and description of your issues, I'd be happy to advise which one I think is best.

Jacob

[Reuben]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EricL]

Hello @Reuben 

Your first photo shows your carpet with a wet spot. Is this close to the sliding door assembly? I only ask because I can't see the sliding doors near this spot. Do you have a picture of where the water is coming out of your assembly? Is it bridging somehow from the outside and is making its way in? Are the overflow outlets bogged up and is causing water to fill up in the channel. 

I propose doing a little bit of an investigation in regards to how the event is happening. Heavy rain hits your aluminium sliding doors and water pools inside the channel? Or does water enter directly through the aluminium frame and water comes out of it from the inside? Any extra information you can share with us about how it happens would be very much appreciated.

Possible solutions include applying silicone seals to the outside and aluminium joints. Calling an aluminium door professional and having them fix the leak.

If have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Reuben]

 

 

 

 

[EricL]

Hello @Reuben 

Thank you for sharing those extra photos of your sliding door. I propose opening your door and looking at the overflow exit hole along the aluminium channel. Look very closely as this must be open and free of dirt and debris. Water should be free to flow out of this hole. I've also noticed that on the second set of photos the paint in the corner has started to lift up. I looked at your first set of photos and the third one shows that there is a little bit of damage in the corner of the concrete. It's possible that water is gathering in that spot and is entering your house.

I propose cleaning that corner with water and detergent in combination with a bristle brush to remove the mould and mildew in the corner. I then suggest putting a bead of Selleys 290ml Clear Storm Waterproof Gutter And Roof Sealant in that corner and along the vertical join of the door assembly where the aluminium meets the rendered wall. I also recommend putting a bead on the interior side of the door and wall.

Give the silicone sealant enough time to cure before you attempt to test the leak with your garden hose. 

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @Reuben 

It does seem that the water is coming through the corner and then wanting to travel along the skirting wall base. Potentially wicking up the plaster. If you push the plaster with a finger does it feel solid? I would also be following @EricL's suggestion. I would also test it once dry with a hose on the outside of the door. I am wondering if the drainage channel has been blocked, I cant quiet tell from your photos. Have a look at the inside of the track and see if there are any slots that are within it, I would suspect that there should be to drain water that gets in.

Dave

[Nailbag]

Hi @Reuben 

My best guess it that there is water ingress from a higher point and not just, if at all from the lower parts of the door. There is obvious signs of long term internal wall water damage shown in the photos where the wall is swelling, paint coming off and the external corner trim that runs under the paint work appears to be leaching corrosion.

It could be caused by the silicone seal around the door frame breaking away or a crack in the render. There are so many places water can gain entry and not always in the obvious places. It could be travelling from failed roof flashing or silicone.  

Later this week I have to remove and replace decaying silicone around a door frame and other areas after a report from a gas and water leak specialist company thats traced where water is entering a townhouse. They detected areas like in ceiling spaces nowhere near where water was entering. So, my recommendation would be to enlist the same type of service as a matter of urgency. 

Nailbag