Leaky French Doors

[SAMI]

We have some north facing French doors to our back deck (one opens, the other is stationary). As far as I know, they are original to the 13y/o house, as I have no reason to believe that they are newer. When we first had the home inspected it was pointed out that there was some minor moisture damage at the foot of the door. The floor has peeled up a bit, and the wood underneath has swelled a bit.

Last night our house was being pounded by the rain storm, with the north side of the house taking the brunt. I noticed water dripping from each bottom corner of the glass trim on each door, and water also dripping from a door stop base.

What I think is happening, is that the water is entering through the bottom of the glass trim on the outside and making it's way into the house from there. I also think that the weather stripping and seals are old and need to be replaced after 13 years of use. Silicone around the glass?

My question is, should I be worried about mold/rot inside the doors? Is there a relatively simple way to check? If the doors need to be replaced, should we do French doors again or go with sliding doors?

 

[Hickey]

Silicone will be great. I know nothing about mold, so I can't comment on it. I would not go with sliding glass, they are terrible in terms of quality in my opinion. Put some silicone under your threshold too, that is where mine use to let a ton of water in.

If you do replace the door, let me know, I'll get you the details on a french door my parents recently replaced in their house. It was excellent quality and surprisingly affordable. They also got a nice tax credit on it, $280 if I remember right.

Building technologies have changed a ton since your house was built. I built my first house in your area about a year before yours was built.

 

[DOSS]

Sliding doors bring the SUCK.. I hate mine worse than anything else..

I would say a set of seals and some calk will take care of your issue.. if you are worried about moisture inside the door you may just wait until the weather gets hot before you seal the window so the moisture has a easy escape route.

Rot/mold.. maybe on the rot.. probobly not on the mold as I would assume it gets dried out every so often so the mold would get killed.. rot poke at it with a screwdriver.. if you can push through really easy you have rot

 

[Caleb]

I'd take a quality sliding door over any french door any day. Every french door, no matter the quality, will begin to leak with age. Anytime you have moisture, you have the potential for mold to develop. French doors do look nicer usually, but they will leak and sag over time.

 

[rockdog]

Your doors won't have rot on the inside. They a probably metal skins and have foam on the inside.
When you calk them. Make sure you seal the threshold on the outside. Many builders just set them in place and hang them with no calking under them to start with. They are relying on the concrete that is poured up against the metal threshold or decking material sealing them off.
My 2cents, framed houses for years.

Oh, forgot to say. You have patio doors. On french doors, both doors swing.

 

[Cascadia]

X2 on what caleb said. A quality sliding glass door will outlast a french for anyday. I have been framing homes for the past 8 years and hanging windows and doors in most of the homes. I have never had to replace a sliding glass door but I have replaced many french doors or even single exterior doors. None that I originally hung though.

I'm not telling you to replace your door though. Most leaks stem from not enough silicon under the threshold so if there is a way for you to get some in there i'd do it. I can't imagine there being any mold though.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Let me know if you need me to bring some duct tape over.

 

[BCGPER]

Proof one again, nothing good has ever come out of france..

 

[Hickey]

Oh, forgot to say. You have patio doors. On french doors, both doors swing.

D'oh, that's what I had. Patio doors. I had no leaks after siliconing the threshold.