# Leaking Patio door



## Pharmday (Mar 1, 2011)

Help! My patio door started leaking 2 years ago. It leaks from the top, about in the middle. So, I had a new door installed.it didn't fix the leak.same spot.I had another contractor try and fix it.he took it apart.checked the drip pan and caulked everything.it still leaks.any suggestions?


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## oldognewtrick (Mar 1, 2011)

What type of wall is the door set in? And is there a window directly above the door?

Oh, and welcome to House Repair Talk!


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## nealtw (Mar 1, 2011)

Oldog has the right idea, I would be looking for a leak above, it could be anywhere within 20 ft, when it is leaking check the bottom of the siding on each side of the door and look for water sneaking out from behind.


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## Pharmday (Mar 2, 2011)

The Door is installed in dry wall. there is not a window by the door. We considered looking under the siding but it is aluminum siding, two story house.the contractor was concerned the siding could break if he took it off.plus he would have to take the entire side off.someone suggested to build an overhang on my patio which would prevent water from getting to the door (they said that fixed their leak)? My only concern with that is if it is leaking somewhere high above. One other thing, we caulked the overlaps on the siding on that side of the house.can it leak through the roof & travel down to the door?

Thanks for your help!


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## handyguys (Mar 2, 2011)

Take a picture of the outside of the house that shows the door and everything above it, up to the roof line. Post it here. We could make some guesses as to where its leaking. Door installers are not the right place to go to have it fixed at this point. Most likely there is a siding or roofing issue. I could be wrong but thats where i would bet money.


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## oldognewtrick (Mar 2, 2011)

I'm going to guess the lack of a "Z" flashing over the top of the door. This is a piece of metal the goes under the siding, against the wall, over the top of the top door and the turns down over the casing. Bet you don't have this.


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## Pharmday (Mar 3, 2011)

my father thought maybe roof too. But I thought it was unlikely because it's a two story house.it would have to travel all the way down without getting anything else wet along the way.? I'll take some pictures later....thanks


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## Pharmday (Mar 9, 2011)

Contractor Coming tomorrow to look at door. I did confirm with last contractor that we do have z flashing above the door.I'm thinking roof? If siding could be a problem.....we have aluminum siding.they'll have to take all of it off and they said a lot of times it breaks.....might have to re side entire house if that happens!? Any other suggestions


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## tlsmth (Nov 11, 2011)

Hello everyone. I also have leak on the top of my patio door. There is a small deck and patio door above this door as well, with about a 2 foot gap between deck above and top of leaking door, underneath. I looked under siding and it is dry. I think the water is coming in somewhere around my  j-channel and drip cap. Should I put a piece of flashing above the drip cap and j channel this divert the water? See pictures. Any help would be great! Thanks. Tim


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## joecaption (Nov 11, 2011)

tlsmith It's best to start your own post not add onto someone elses.
How did that water get all over the siding, where you doing a water test?
Looks like someone tryed to micky mouse some form of Z moulding over that door. I'd bet for one thing it's angled back toward the wall and does not go up behind the siding and just sits on top of the brick molding. I'd remove that piece of siding and see.
Also if that water is from rain then someone messed up when step flashing your porch roof allowing water to get in behind the siding.


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## joecaption (Nov 11, 2011)

Not sure how someone could install a new door with a nailing fin on it, install woindow tape and Z molding if the siding was not removed. And yes it would have to come off from the top down, and yes sometimes a few pieces do get damaged, but they do still make and sell aluminum siding.


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## tlsmth (Nov 11, 2011)

joecaption said:


> tlsmith It's best to start your own post not add onto someone elses.
> How did that water get all over the siding, where you doing a water test?
> Looks like someone tryed to micky mouse some form of Z moulding over that door. I'd bet for one thing it's angled back toward the wall and does not go up behind the siding and just sits on top of the brick molding. I'd remove that piece of siding and see.
> Also if that water is from rain then someone messed up when step flashing your porch roof allowing water to get in behind the siding.


 
The water got in the siding from alot of rain coming down today. I'm not sure the proper way for the z flashing to be? I took a few more photos to try and show you moreso what it looks like. When I look above the patio door, underneath the siding, there is no water seeping in there from above. Therefore the water must be getting in below - around the top of door/j-channel? What are your thoughts? The drip cap goes up behind siding and is angled away from the house. 

What exactly do you mean by "step flashing" my porch?


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## joecaption (Nov 11, 2011)

http://www.loweslink.com/pubdocumen...ing Patio Door - Tape Installation Method.pdf


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## joecaption (Nov 12, 2011)

The step flashing is used under the shingles on the porch roof not the porch.
There's no reason I can think of that there should be that much water on the siding and on those rafters after a simple rain storm, looks like something is leaking from above or in that roof.


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## nealtw (Nov 14, 2011)

Looks more like a leaky roof.


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