Why does water come in under my sliding door when it rains hard?

The sill is meant to drain outward through small weep holes. When they block, rain pools in the track and comes over the inside lip, fastest in wind-driven rain. Clearing the weeps and vacuuming the track fixes most of it.

Should I caulk the weep holes to stop the leak?

No. They are the drain. Sealed, the water has nowhere to go but inside and under the floor. Clear them instead.

Where is the draft coming from on my sliding door?

Usually the interlock — where the sliding panel hooks behind the fixed one — or the latch edge, where the pile weatherstrip has flattened, or where a sagged panel no longer closes square. Run a hand round the closed door on a windy day.

Is a leak at the door a door problem or a house problem?

Water in the track is the door: drainage and seals. Water showing on the wall, the trim or from under the sill is getting in behind the frame through failed sealant or flashing, which may need more than a door technician — and you will be told which.

Sliding Door Draft and Leak Locator | One Call Sliding Door Repair

How this works

A sliding door keeps weather out with four things: pile weatherstrip on the stiles and header, the interlock where the two panels meet, a sill that drains outward through weep holes, and the sealant and flashing around the frame. Each fails in its own place and its own weather, which is what the questions read.

Water in the track in heavy rain is drainage; a draft at the interlock is the strip or a sagged panel; water on the wall is the frame perimeter. The checks are the ones you can do with a torch, a pipe cleaner and a cup of water.

It runs in your browser and nothing you enter is sent anywhere. It is a guide, not a diagnosis — door makers differ, so check your manufacturer where it says to, and the technician confirms what has actually worn when they see the door.

Questions people ask

Why does water come in under my sliding door when it rains hard?: The sill is meant to drain outward through small weep holes. When they block, rain pools in the track and comes over the inside lip, fastest in wind-driven rain. Clearing the weeps and vacuuming the track fixes most of it.
Should I caulk the weep holes to stop the leak?: No. They are the drain. Sealed, the water has nowhere to go but inside and under the floor. Clear them instead.
Where is the draft coming from on my sliding door?: Usually the interlock — where the sliding panel hooks behind the fixed one — or the latch edge, where the pile weatherstrip has flattened, or where a sagged panel no longer closes square. Run a hand round the closed door on a windy day.
Is a leak at the door a door problem or a house problem?: Water in the track is the door: drainage and seals. Water showing on the wall, the trim or from under the sill is getting in behind the frame through failed sealant or flashing, which may need more than a door technician — and you will be told which.

Where is the air or water getting in?

How this works

Questions people ask

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