UPVC door with damp around one corner

[Jussher]

Hi!

We have a UPVC front door that has always had some slight damp issues in one corner. I was hoping someone might be able to offer some advice, as I'm pretty lost on this now! I've attached some pictures:

Some points of the skirting board feel a little damp, as does the plasterboard above it (it's certainly not wet to touch though) -- soon after painting it, the paint started to flake off.

Some thoughts:

• the drainage holes in the frame seem to work; water poured in drains out the bottom front of the door, down the drip bar.
• Along the bottom of the frame, connected directly to the floor (inside) is that 'drip tray' as I call it (I'm really not sure of its proper name). If I were to put something through the gap between it and the skirting board it seems to just extend into the wall. Could that be an issue? That being said, I had temporarily blocked it with tissue and the tissue never became wet, so it doesn't seem like water goes down there. Maybe it's just for airflow?
• Could it be something to do with the lack of sealant around the bottom of the trim on the outside of the door, or where the drip bar connects to the wall? There's no sealant there either.

I can't find any obvious gaps or anything outside that seems to be letting in water.
However, I'm not sure the door is particularly air-tight when closed - I think there is a very faint draught around the corner. At least, it feels colder there. Could all of that damp just be caused by that?

The damp doesn't seem to be an immediate thing, and there's no visual sign of water when it rains.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions of what could be causing this?

Thank you so much in advance for anyone that might be able to help, or just offer some wisdom!

Jussher.

 

[tell80]

Jussher Hi,
1. You have damp damage in the lower wall and the return wall.
2. There's rust on the corner angle bead.
3. The skirting appears to have been pushed away from the wall.
4.Do you have a solid or suspended floor (any air bricks)?

5. Do you know for sure where all the weep holes are - and have they all been cleaned out and water tested? Corner weep holes are sometimes difficult to see.
6. Spotlessly clean all smudges & dirt from the frame and floor.
7. The rubber sealing gaskets might need replacing?
8. The drip tray seems to be simply a piece of trim covering where the flooring meets the rail.
9. The quadrant bead has a gap at the bottom - after cleaning out, squirt sealant into the gap.
10. Close the door, and use a fan to blow air from outside while someone observes from inside.
Please take pics showing the outside steps, and the wall to the low level right

 

[Nige F]

2. There's rust on the corner angle bead.

Your x-ray eyes saw the metal bead ?

 

[foxhole]

How long has the plant been outside preventing ventilation around the damp wall and deflecting additional rain over that area?
Pics of exterior , especially above door frame ?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Move the step away from under the cill.

Andy

 

[catlad]

Looks like mdf skirting ? which won't like any damp if it is.

 

[Jussher]

Hi @tell80,

Thanks (and to everyone else!) for your thoughts and observations.
- It's a solid floor (no air bricks), and I don't know for sure where all of the weep holes are, but I can see at least two along that wall; I've had a good look and can see no sign of any others along that wall. They visually appear clean, but haven't been tested.
- Finding a match for the rubber gasket on the door has been difficult. I've had other people look for a match and they've also had no luck..each person said they hadn't seen a gasket like it before!

As for the other suggestions, I'll definitely follow them! Having someone blow air from the outside is a handy idea to help track any gaps!

I've attached some extra pictures of the step, and the lower wall to the right hand side.
1. It looks like the sealing between the step and the wall has deteriorated somewhat - may that a likely culprit?
2. On the last image there is one weep hole visible right above where the paving stops, and one much further down towards the end on the far right.

 

[Jussher]

Hi @foxhole,

That plant along the wall has been there many years - long before we moved in. I've attached a photo of the exterior above the door frame.

 

[foxhole]

Have you checked gutters are not blocked, the plant being there many years explains why it’s now big enough to cause problems.