How the heck ...

[diy_fun_uk]

... is the water getting in?!?

Here's the situation, sorry for longish post! Door is fitted with this:

Exitex MWK 20 Mobility Weatherbar Kit - Various Finishes - Inward Opening Door - Weatherbars - Weatherbars & Door Surrounds - Thresholds & Weatherbars - Marches Architectural Ironmongery

Fitting Instructions: Threshold Section Check width between inside faces of the doorframe rebate and cut aluminium section to this size. (See Illustration) Notch the front ramped section as below. (See Illustration) This sill requires an under door

www.marchesironmongery.co.uk

It's not been fitted well in the first place and is letting water in when there's driving rain. However the water doesn't appear to be getting in at the opening (handle) end and/or the hinge end, it's getting in more towards the middle. Given the design of the weather bar I can't get my head around HOW the water is tracking through and in. If you look at the side view image below, you will see the section that attaches to the door is one piece, it runs from the outer face to the underside. I've ran a small bead of sealant where you see the black arrow just in case water was finding its way in there. Hasn't fixed it.

If you look at the arrows on the other image (actual pic of the door), these indicate where the water appears to be dripping through. If you run your finger along the top of that inner seal, it's wet. I ended up taking the two inner seals off today to further investigate and when I ran my finger along the underside of the weather bar (underneath the door), it was wet ... but not at either end, further in as per the arrows. The bottom of the door is also getting wet. I know this because I recently shaved the door end (handle side) and the bare wood is wet at the bottom 2-3 inches.

I'm perplexed. From what I can see, the outer seal is engaging properly with the threshold when the door is closed. So, given the one piece design, how the heck is water a) getting in and b) tracking across those seals to the inside?

Also, when I open the door, there can sometimes be one or two small (operative word small) pools of water in the threshold but they're at the outer side (see white arrow in first image) and there's nothing to indicate this is the cause of the issue with the water that's finding its way inside.

Yes I might be forced to take the door off and investigate further but I'm trying to resolve without doing so if at all possible!

Any ideas?!?

 

[DiyNutJob]

Water is accumulating on the highest gasket. Since the water can't be made to disappear by magic. it seeps downwards to the bottom of the door and comes out between the door and the fitting. You need a bead of sealant at the highest part of the fitting to prevent water reaching the top-most gasket.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Water is accumulating on the highest gasket. Since the water can't be made to disappear by magic. it seeps downwards to the bottom of the door and comes out between the door and the fitting. You need a bead of sealant at the highest part of the fitting to prevent water reaching the top-most gasket.

Cheers for the reply, what you're saying totally makes sense especially as bottom of the door is getting wet.

But what I don't get is I've sealed the external high point, see black arrow on first pic. Used Dow 791 and ensured the top edge was properly sealed.

I'll check it again tomorrow in case there's still a gap.

 

[crank39]

Why don't you just drill a drainage hole in the centre to let the water out?

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Why don't you just drill a drainage hole in the centre to let the water out?

tbh that's not really the issue. There are drainage holes and they're not blocked. Sometimes when I open the door there is zero water in there (i.e. the threshold bit you step over), sometimes one or two small pools but very small and they're at the drainage hole side if that makes sense i.e. not over towards the inside. Regardless of whether there's water in there or not, water is getting inside the property and it appears to be dripping from further up i.e. between the bottom/underside of the door and the metal plate of the weather bar.

This is what's now confusing me as I've sealed the top edge of the weather bar outside where, as suggested by diynutjob, water's maybe getting in and being stopped by that upper seal and therefore seeping through the actual door and dripping out the bottom.

I think I might need to take the weather bar off as I suspect the wood behind it hasn't been treated which won't be helping matters.

 

[crank39]

Suspect it could be residual condensation then if it's just a tiny amount

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Suspect it could be residual condensation then if it's just a tiny amount

Maybe in the threshold but not inside the property as quite a lot of water is finding its way in if the rain is driving. I've seen me going in after heavy-ish rain (but not driving) and it's bone dry. However after driving rain it'll be wet inside.

I know I'm making the same point but what's surprising me a bit now is the fact I've sealed the top edge of the weather bar and I did this in case water was finding its way in and through at that point. The woodwork around the weather bar is sealed/treated so I wouldn't have thought water could now get down there. However given it's dripping out between the underside of the actual door and the weather bar, I can only conclude water is still getting in from the upper point.

Disappointed cause the joiner hasn't fitted it correctly. Gaskets cut short, ends not nipped to keep them in place etc. I reckon I might need to take it off and fit a new one but I'll try one or two more things in the hope I don't need to.

 

[DiyNutJob]

The sides of the fitting are exposed. Water could be getting in from there. Take a picture of the sealant you applied on the top edge. If properly done, it should not be leaking from the top. You mentioned drain holes. Is water getting in from those?

 

[diy_fun_uk]

The sides of the fitting are exposed. Water could be getting in from there. Take a picture of the sealant you applied on the top edge. If properly done, it should not be leaking from the top. You mentioned drain holes. Is water getting in from those?

Bear in mind the first pic (side view) is off the internet, it's not my install. However you're nevertheless right, one end of the weather bar is (or was) exposed as one of the end caps must have fallen off. I've filled that however as with the top will re-check.

I don't have a pic to hand of the sealed upper edge. Nah there's never any sign of water tracking up the drain holes. I think you're first analysis is right, I think it's tracking through between the underside of the actual door and the section of weather bar that runs under the door. So I reckon the only place water can be getting in to achieve that effect is either the top and/or side of the weather bar that's outide.

I'm going to apply a bit more sealant to the top edge, check the side and then see how I go from there. Ideally I'd like to avoid having to remove it, seal wood behind etc.

 

[Notch7]

Given that it’s an open in door, the external door drip part must be cut in between the frame with a tolerance gap - it’s entirely possible water is running down the door - wind will encourage it to go to one side, and then running along the extrusion between metal and door along the extrusion.

if it was me I’d get a hose or watering can and run first down one edge of the door, check, then do other side, check, then do the middle

I reckon you are going to have to whip that door off and silicone…..1/2 hour job

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Given that it’s an open in door, the external door drip part must be cut in between the frame with a tolerance gap - it’s entirely possible water is running down the door - wind will encourage it to go to one side, and then running along the extrusion between metal and door along the extrusion.

if it was me I’d get a hose or watering can and run first down one edge of the door, check, then do other side, check, then do the middle

I reckon you are going to have to whip that door off and silicone…..1/2 hour job

Yeah as I touched on before, essentially it's not been installed properly in a few ways, including the gap on one side after he's cut it in. I won't show my bodge to resolve that as I'd be banished from the forum! However it's a BTL so the priority is more to get it watertight than be 100% concerned about aesthetics.

Truth be told I think I already know I'll prob need to buy a new kit and fit it myself from scratch. He's fecked this one in various ways. But I suppose the stubborn side of me is still trying to fix what's already there!

 

[Cjad-diy]

+1 with this issue as I’m having exactly the same problem with exactly the same threshold kit. Did you resolve your issue with/without fitting a new kit?