How to defeat wind driven rain? Storm door?
Last Post 25 Nov 2017 06:09 AM by JenniferK. 5 Replies.
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maxpowerUser is Offline
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20 Feb 2017 09:30 PM
Hey All,
So I'm building my own house. A house that happens to be quite exposed due to the fact that it's built on top of a hill. As such, when we get wind driven rain, our entry doors catch the full brunt of it. They leak every time. I'm at the end of my rope!

I've re-done all the weather stripping, added the little corner pads, caulked like crazy everywhere I could think of, had the rep from the company come out and check it out. All that, and the best I can say is that it's gotten a little better, but they still leak. When the wind blows, the pressure difference causes capillary action on both sides of the threshold. Nothing I do stops it.

So I've been thinking of storm doors. However, as I've been reading about them, many of the sites are cautioning to switch to a screen during the summer months to avoid damaging the main entry door from the excessive head a storm door can trap between the two doors. One entry door faces mostly west and a bit north. The other faces mostly east and a bit south. I get that going with a screen in the summer months would address the solar gain problem, but wouldn't that completely defeat the whole reason I put a storm door on in the first place?

What's a guy to do?
Dana1User is Offline
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23 Feb 2017 03:02 PM
A north facing door isn't much of a heat trap (assuming you live in the northern hemisphere, well north of the tropics?) and a south facing door may be sufficiently protected from mid-day summer sun from roof overhangs(? or it could be...). The problem doors are the east & west facing doors, since they are not easily shaded from the low angle morning & evening sun. West facing doors tend to be more problematic, since the solar gain occurs late in the day when outdoor air temps are much higher, resulting in higher temperatures.

Replacing a heat susceptible wood or fiberglass door with an insulated steel door is one way to manage it, if you can deal with the aesthetic issues.
ronmarUser is Offline
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23 Feb 2017 09:17 PM
If the storm door has adjustable glass, you could probably just open the glass to leave a small gap at the very top, and rig the door so it has a small gap at the bottom. As long as the heated air is not trapped in the space between the doors the stack effect top and bottom openings should keep the heat gain temps under control. The top of the door would probably be the least susceptable area to catch water as it should be more protected by the roof overhang, it could also probably have a small eve attached over it as well to limit blown rain entry if needed, without having to close the glass every time it rains...

The more expensive fix might be a semi-enclosed porch addition...
TWhiteUser is Offline
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25 Feb 2017 09:10 AM
I build homes on the beach in the VA Outer Banks. Sliding doors are best for wind driven rain or build a porch roof and room area to protect the door.
maxpowerUser is Offline
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28 Feb 2017 08:31 PM
Hey all, Thanks for the responses here. I ought to be able to manage the situation with these suggestions. Thanks!
JenniferKUser is Offline
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25 Nov 2017 06:09 AM
This is a very usual problem with the leaking from the doors during heavy rains and storm. I agree with others that the sliding doors are best to install. I have found on the internet that the sliding impact doors are easy to install, durable and storm proof. These doors insulate the house properly and do not allow water to get inside the house.
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