Why does water come in only during heavy rain?

The seal may still hold against light rain but not against wind-driven rain, which pushes water up and under the sill. Clogged weep holes make it worse, because the sill fills instead of draining. Both get checked on the same visit.

Is new weatherstrip enough on its own?

Sometimes, but not always. If the panel is out of adjustment or the interlock does not meet square, the new pile will not close the gap. The technician adjusts the panel so the seal has something to press against.

Do I need a permit for this in Miami?

Like-for-like repairs such as weatherstrip, rollers, track work, handles and locks normally require no permit in Florida. Replacing the full sliding door unit usually does, and in Miami-Dade the product must be approved for the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Check with your city or county building department before any replacement.

Should I fix this before hurricane season?

It is worth doing. A door that leaks in an everyday Miami summer storm will leak far worse under hurricane conditions, and the season runs June 1 through November 30. Demand across South Florida rises ahead of and during that window.

How do I know what I am paying for?

The estimate is free. The technician looks at the door, explains what is worn and gives you the price before any work starts, and you approve it first. Ask to see the flattened weatherstrip or the blocked weep hole, and ask for the reasoning in writing.

Sliding door drafts and water leaks in Miami, FL

You feel air along the edge of the panel, and after a hard rain there is water on the floor inside the track. In most cases the pile weatherstrip on the stiles and at the interlock has flattened or shrunk, so the panel no longer presses tight when it is closed. The other half of the problem is usually drainage: the sill has weep holes that let water out, and when they clog with grit the water backs up and comes over the track into the room.

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Hands pressing new pile weatherstrip into the interlock groove of a sliding door that is open a few inches, the sill clean and dry.

Miami is hard on both of those parts. Sun and year-round humidity shrink and harden old weatherstrip until a gap appears, and the wet season from roughly May through October drives rain sideways into the sill. Salt air off Biscayne Bay corrodes metal hardware and pits aluminum sills faster than inland, and aluminum-framed sliders are very common in older Florida homes and in condo construction. With two or more sets of doors in many homes here, one tired seal is often a sign the others are close behind.

While you wait — please don't

Do not seal the sill shut. Caulking or taping across the bottom track traps water that needs to drain out through the weep holes, and that water ends up in the floor instead.
Do not ignore a wet floor edge. Water that gets under a sill rots the subfloor and the framing where you cannot see it, long before the damage shows up indoors.
Do not wait out hurricane season. A door that leaks in an ordinary summer storm will leak badly in a hurricane, and Miami's season runs June 1 through November 30.
Do not take an impact-rated panel apart. Stop using the door and leave it to a technician if the glass is cracked or the panel is loose in the frame — a sliding glass panel weighs as much as a person and shatters into a room, and impact-rated units have to stay intact to do their job.

What the technician does

Finds where the air and water get inThe technician checks the stiles, the interlock between the panels and the sill with the door closed. Drafts and leaks often come from two different places on the same door.
Replaces the pile weatherstripWorn pile on the stiles and at the interlock is pulled out and new weatherstrip fitted. This is what restores the seal when the door is latched.
Checks the interlock alignmentIf the two panels do not meet square, no amount of new weatherstrip will close the gap. The interlock is checked and the panel adjusted so it seals evenly top to bottom.
Clears the sill and weep holesThe sill is cleaned out and the weep holes are opened so water drains back outside. Blocked weeps are a common reason water pools and comes over the track.
Inspects caulking and flashingThe caulk and flashing where the frame meets the wall are looked over, since a gap there puts water behind the frame rather than through the door.
Tests the sealThe door is rain and wind tested so you can see whether the fix holds before the technician leaves.

Why this happens in Miami, FL

Leaks here are seasonal and then they are not. Sliding door problems in Florida run all year, but complaints about wind-driven rain and bad seals peak in the summer rainy and hurricane season. Spring brings blown sand and pollen along the coast, and that grit is what packs the sill and plugs the weep holes in the first place. If you are in Brickell, Edgewater, Coconut Grove or anywhere close to the water, salt in the air adds corrosion to the sill and hardware on top of the normal wear.

Housing matters too. A lot of Miami homes are mid-century concrete block and stucco with older aluminum sliders still in service, and the condo towers downtown and along the bay have balcony doors taking the full force of the weather. Replacing weatherstrip, clearing a sill or adjusting a panel is like-for-like repair and normally needs no permit in Florida. Replacing the whole door unit is different: in Miami-Dade's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone the replacement generally has to carry a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, and your local building department can confirm what applies at your address. If you live in a condo or a gated community, expect the association to have a say in exterior work.

Questions people ask

Why does water come in only during heavy rain?: The seal may still hold against light rain but not against wind-driven rain, which pushes water up and under the sill. Clogged weep holes make it worse, because the sill fills instead of draining. Both get checked on the same visit.
Is new weatherstrip enough on its own?: Sometimes, but not always. If the panel is out of adjustment or the interlock does not meet square, the new pile will not close the gap. The technician adjusts the panel so the seal has something to press against.
Do I need a permit for this in Miami?: Like-for-like repairs such as weatherstrip, rollers, track work, handles and locks normally require no permit in Florida. Replacing the full sliding door unit usually does, and in Miami-Dade the product must be approved for the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Check with your city or county building department before any replacement.
Should I fix this before hurricane season?: It is worth doing. A door that leaks in an everyday Miami summer storm will leak far worse under hurricane conditions, and the season runs June 1 through November 30. Demand across South Florida rises ahead of and during that window.
How do I know what I am paying for?: The estimate is free. The technician looks at the door, explains what is worn and gives you the price before any work starts, and you approve it first. Ask to see the flattened weatherstrip or the blocked weep hole, and ask for the reasoning in writing.

One call

Call (888) 851-3682 or send a request through the form, and we will arrange service for your Miami sliding door with an independent local technician — we schedule the work, we are not the contractor. The estimate is free, and the price is agreed with you before anything is done.

Call now · (888) 851-3682

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Something else in this area

One Call Sliding Door Repair arranges the visit; the technician does the work and gives you the price.