Leaking Sliding Doors

What Causes Leaks in Sliding Doors

• In most cases, poor sliding door installation causes leaks, especially sliding doors made of aluminum. A poorly installed sliding door due to poor design may also cause sliding doors to leak. For example, a sliding door designed in such a way that water will seep through the corner joints will cause the doors to leak eventually during heavy rains. Poorly positioned weep holes have a tendency to clog and trap water, which then cause extensive leaking.

Leaking Sliding Door Solutions

• The manufacturer's warranty often covers newly installed sliding doors. However, should leaks happen, you can perform do-it-yourself fixes to combat the problem just in case the warranty expires. Caulk around the outside of the door or around its frames. In addition, you can check the bottom tracks where the door slides in and out. Aligning tracks to the roller wheels of the sliding door will keep the leaks out. If possible, provide or install holes to drain water trapped in the tracks. Keep the holes free from dust, debris and other foreign materials. Employ professional help in replacing or re-installing misaligned or poorly installed sliding doors.

Weatherstripping Prevents and Minimizes Leaking

• Weatherstripping offers protection by sealing around movable joints where water could enter. To prevent leaking problems, choose the best types of weather stripping, such as aluminum with attached vinyl, since they have more tolerance towards friction, extreme weather, varying temperatures and wear-and-tear that comes with sliding doors. The U.S. Department of Energy's website offers a list of weatherstripping material choices. Using weather stripping requires good assessment of the affected area. When applied to sliding doors, weatherstripping can drag on the carpet. Taking proper measurements, cleaning and drying weather stripping will help maintain its ability to compress when sliding the door closed.

Financial Impact

• Resolving leaking sliding doors can be costly. The cost involves supply of labor and materials and other required services. Major sliding door leaks also involve major rehabilitation and trained technicians that will rack up additional charges to get the work done properly. Doing the installations, repairs and enhancements during the dry season will help you avoid incurring additional expenses when you schedule work during inclement weather. Save yourself from potential headaches and unnecessary costs by planning well and ahead of time.