Bad Door and Water on the Floor

[Jeff Nicholson]

I have a client who hired me specifically to take a look at why her new hardwood floor was cupping in her dining room, next to a french door leading to the deck. The floor was quite moist according to a Tramex. The worst area was right at the base of the edge of the door but it extended inside the house for about 8 feet.

The house is about 5 years old and not exceptionally well-built. There's no building paper (a common sight around here). The owner is pretty handy and has reinstalled this door using flexible self-adhesive flashing after a previous water problem. The tape at the top of the door is applied over the wall sheathing and a two-inch coping attached to the top of the door. The flashing does not extend to the bottom of the coping and there is no proper drip cap where the vinyl meets the door. Although I can't see flashing details on the side of the door, I'm thinking this alone is enough to allow some water in during heavy rains. As for the water making it all the way across the room, I think it may be traveling in the cosmetic gaps between the floorboards. The crawlspace underneath was not unusually wet and the subfloor tested dry/wasn't stained.

This is already more detail than I go into for a normal inspection, but do you think it's safe to recommend the client to a door and siding installer for repairs/recommendations, or might there be another source of moisture?

The attached photo shows the siding at the top, the crinkly flashing in the middle and the door coping at the bottom.

[Carl A. Brown]

Recomend this and eliminate the guess work.


http://buildscanir.com/index.php

And the repair guys who do not tell the truth.

[Jeff Nicholson]

I was thinking about IR too. I wish I had one of those cameras... I don't think I'd have a use for a 30-day rental though. I'm not sure of anyone in my area who uses these.

[Carl A. Brown]

Jeff,

I don't have one either, but I also would like one.

[ckratzer]

Jeff,
Is this a wood framed door?? Vinyl clad door with nail fin??
You say it is a french door so I assume it has no type of storm door hence less protection from blowing rain.
Does it have an adjustable threshold? If it does you may wish to suggest the threshhold be raised by turning it's adjustment screws, ( big phillips head ),counter clock wise.This may be all it needs and way cheaper than pulling siding off.

[Jeff Nicholson]

Thanks Cheremie. To be honest, I'm not sure if it did have an adjustable threshold. Yes, it is a vinyl door with a nailing fin. I'm thinking the whole flashing system at the top of this type of door might be moot without water resistive building paper.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Originally Posted by cbrown1

Recomend this and eliminate the guess work.


http://buildscanir.com/index.php

And the repair guys who do not tell the truth.

Carl;

What does one of these cost out of curiousity?

Marcel

[Carl A. Brown]

Marcel,

I am not sure but if you go to the site and contact Greg Stockton he can sure tell you! He has told me the prices are getting better but I have not ask for a firm price.

Carl