Covered on a Rosemead visit
- Worn door sweeps and bottom seals swapped
- Thresholds re-bedded in sealant or replaced in kind
- Split caulk between the door casing and the stucco cut out and redone
- Patio slider drain slots dug out
- Storm-side weatherstrip renewed
- Swollen casing trim dried, primed and painted
Outside what we take on
- Cutting new openings for doors or windows.
- Glass replacement; a glass shop handles panes and sealed units.
- Garage door openers, springs and tracks.
Slab entries in postwar Rosemead
The Census Bureau’s median year built for Rosemead homes is 1959, and the 1950s account for 4,089 of the city’s 15,447 housing units (ACS year built). Front doors on those ranch houses usually sit a step or less above a concrete porch, so a threshold that has lifted or a sweep that has worn short lets water run straight in.
Carpet and laminate near the door hide a leak for a while. The EPA’s moisture guide says to dry water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours, so pull back a wet rug and let us know what you see underneath.
How a leak call goes
Hose test
We wet the door bottom, then the sides, then the head, with you watching inside.
Mark it
The spot where water first appears decides the fix.
Seal or swap
Sweep, threshold, weatherstrip or exterior caulk, whichever failed.
Retest
Same hose, same order, until the inside stays dry.
Water under Rosemead exterior doors
Many Rosemead back doors open onto a patio slab that sits almost level with the floor inside. When the patio slopes toward the house, or the threshold seal wears out, rain runs straight under the door. Wind-driven rain makes it worse.
We look at the whole entry: the door sweep, the threshold, the weatherstrip along the jamb, the caulk where the frame meets the stucco and the slope of the ground outside. Fixing only the sweep rarely solves a leak that starts somewhere else.
- Door sweeps and bottom seals replaced
- Thresholds adjusted or replaced and sealed to the slab
- Jamb weatherstripping replaced on all three sides
- Exterior caulk joints between the frame and the stucco resealed
Sliding patio doors
Sliding glass doors leak when the track drain holes clog or the sill seal fails. We clean the track, clear the drains and reseal the frame. If the slab outside slopes toward the door, we explain the options.
Water damage at the bottom of the door frame or the subfloor is something we check for while we are there.
Not included
Water dripping from above the door header, flashing buried in the wall, and moving or enlarging a door opening go to a general contractor.
While we’re out for this, Rosemead customers often add door threshold replacement, weatherstripping and door sweeps, sliding glass door repair or window leak repair.
What to text
A photo of the door from the porch, a close-up of the threshold, and where the water ends up inside.
Door leak questions
Why does water come in under my front door?
The sweep has worn short or the threshold has lifted off the slab, so rain blows straight under.
Will new weatherstripping fix it?
If the side seals are the problem, yes. Water under the door needs the sweep or threshold.
Why does my patio slider fill with water?
Its drain slots are blocked with grit. Clearing them lets the track empty outside.
Can you seal it during the rain?
We can find the leak in the rain, but sealant has to go on dry surfaces.
What will a door leak repair cost me?
We quote after seeing photos, and the estimate is free.
Worth a read: what our weatherstripping exterior doors guide says about door leak repair.
Door tips
- Sealing drafty exterior doorsLight, dust or drafts around your front door? How to check weather stripping, sweeps and thresholds on Rosemead homes. Text a photo for a free estimate.
- Aluminum sliding windows and screens that stickWhy aluminum sliding windows in Rosemead homes get hard to open, how to clean the track and weep holes, and when rollers, latches or screens need replacing.
Jobs like this one are everyday work for our Rosemead handyman service, from the blocks off Garvey Avenue to the streets near Rosemead Park. A photo by text gets you a quote first.
Part of door and cabinet repair. You can also browse all our services or read about repairs in postwar Rosemead homes.