So, the sliding door appears to be leaking from the slider itself, no water entered through the stationary panels. In the lower area of the slider, when water runs down the door, it hits the fin seal type of seal(looks like a felt/brush seal with a small piece of plastic/rubber in the middle of the brush/felt).

This is where it enters the track. From what I read online, it's normal for water to enter this way during a high wind rain, is that correct? I am very confused as to what should be done to correct the water issue properly and permanently. The rep said minor shimming just to allow water to drain towards the weep. He said that the with the longer frame length, that the frames do sag a bit in the middle and should be shimmed slightly to create a very slight slope. The frames were assembled on site if that helps and arrives in 4 separate pieces.

Please advise of the proper way to correct this issue. We did have strong winds, rain, snow mix, but that's not uncommon here.

Video of water

https://youtu.be/QmC9PQ2bnHM

That's a a lot of water. I think something is wrong or perhaps there doors are leakers from the get go. I had about 2' of snow against mine and zero water, nothing during rain storms either.

Hi Todd, we had up to 35mph winds and rain if that matters.

"Please advise of the proper way to correct this issue."

I've already done so, but I'll repeat myself. The panels must be removed so the head and side jambs can be removed so the bottom track can be shimmed, re-installed and flashed to evacuate the water. The rep is correct; it's just a lot of work to do the same job twice, the second time for no pay.

looks to me like to extra wide frame is the issue. This is part of the reason why some manufacturers use a mulled dead panel instead of a continuous sill. I would not see a full reinstall needed, nor can it be shimmed that much without affecting the operator. some minor shimming under the center will in place should be just enough to get that water flowing to the weeps which is how its designed. That fin seal is not going to stop 35mph wind driven water into that track, it just needs to be able to run out.

@ Ron mexico- so the rep said they would remove exterior caulk along the bottom and put a minor shim in place and reseal. Would that be OK without adversely affecting the door? Thanks

@Joseph- I was unsure what reinstall the track to evacuate would entail, which is why I asked a second time. I was unsure if it was just shimming or if they did something else wrong. I appreciate your help and knowledge. This is already the 2nd installation as well, do it would be a 3rd install if they had to remove the frame yet again. Thanks.

That's what I'd do if it was my job, yes. They just have to be careful not to over-shim it. Pulling the whole door would be idiotic unless there are some other major problem.

That is the only solution I see besides adding another weep. Give it a test run before they seal it up .

Make sure the latch works when there don

Thanks guys. Will do all that was mentioned. I will report back in a couple weeks once my new glass has arrived.

Ron Mexico:

So non-evacuating water is not a "major problem"?

Ron M can answer for himself, but id have to agree that pulling the entire door is terrible advice. It seems to be the consensus that shimming of the sill followed by close monitoring is in order. It also seems like Joseph Corlett could be diagnosed as slightly to majorly salty about his poor advice. He may want to stick to providing feedback on the latest window treatment styles, and leave technical commentary to professionals like toddinmn.

Thank you for the consensus. I have kept this thread updated with every aspect of my install in order to provide future homeowners some answers if they run across similar issues and in order to ensure my job is completed properly. I myself would believe the rep would recommend only approved methods that would not void their warranty, but just wanted to make sure it made sense. We will be trying the shim first, it doesn't appear much will be needed. I will update the thread when repairs are made, and I hope at that point, this job will be completed in its entirety.

fridge2020:

My advice is based on experience. As a contractor licensed in two states, I've repaired leaking sliding doors many times; all involved reinstalling the door with proper mechanical flashing. I've got a pictured post around here somewhere.

The "Shim it 'n caluk 'er" guys have caused enough problems, here and in homes.

So the guys that are recommending a fix without pulling the doors are the problem and are in the same category as the hack contractors that create issues? Is that where we are?

Joe, where is there any reference to leaking? And how would flashing help in this case? I also fail to see how being a licensed general contractor qualifies you to make sweeping and damaging judgements from your desk chair that could cause serious harm to both the homeowner and contractor involved in this situation. It’s irresponsible, shame on you. I’m not sure why you’ve latched on to commenting about windows and doors when they clearly are not your forte based on this and commentary on other threads, but hey, everybody is an expert online right? There’s water in a track in the threshold that is designed to evacuate water upon entry, and water WILL enter there. That’s not a leak. Based on the pictures and descriptions it sounds like a little bit of crown is needed in that sill to get the water moving, but without inspecting in person it’s impssoble to say for sure. I certainly would not diagnose the entire install as bad based on a few pictures. Professionals don’t do that.

This seems to be a problem more of door design than install problems. My guess is the problem would still be there if they tore it out and flashed the living hell out of it.

I also fail to see how flashing would address this, and its very presumptuous to say that a tear out is needed. That could end up being the case, but it doesn't sound likely IMO.

@Pete, you are on the right track. Have the rep come out and assess and perform the services that they prescribe. They are the ones with the firsthand knowledge and they also are the ones standing behind the product and install, which despite the issues, they seem to have done admirably to this point. Obviously you will hold them to the end result which is a properly installed and operational door without defect, but demanding that the door be ripped out because a guy on the internet said so would probably cause added tension in that relationship which would not help matters.

Evacuating water could be a major problem, although I wouldn't say that in this context it is. Should be corrected no doubt, but no I wouldn't call it code red. Then again, I'm only licensed in one state so take my thoughts for what they are worth. I probably have fewer leather bound books as well.

Thanks again to everyone. I will update once they have come and attempted to correct the problem. After the fix, I will manually put water in the track to ensure it gets evacuated properly. If it doesn't, they will have to try something else until all issues are resolved.

Wouldn't be a terrible idea to ask them it that can be done while they are making the adjustments.

Thanks homesealed, i will ensure we test it before they recaulk and close everything up.

Another question, is caulk OK between the vinyl trim and the siding j channels on the sides and top of the doors?

Sides no prob, top could be. Pics?

Here are pics

You really want a drip cap/head flashing on there Pete, especially with that window right above. Water infiltration from the sill of the above unit as it stands would run down and right into the door opening instead of being directed out by a drip cap (with no caulk). Essentially the current config will do fine at keeping exterior water out, however it doesn't properly direct water that gets behind the siding above the door, and that does happen, particularly with vinyl siding.

All that said, we are approaching some gray area here, as that head flashing is typically installed by the siders. Its possible that the window guys simply covered it up in the name of aesthetics which would be a big no-no, or that the siders never did it. Is it the window/door guy's fault in the case of the latter? That's debatable. That said, as a window installer that needs to warranty that opening to be leak free, I'd personally identify that situation up front and suggest that we remove the siding between those units and add head flashing and tape, integrated into the existing WRB to ensure that is leak proof. There was talk a little earlier about flashing, but this is where that commentary would indeed apply.

OK thanks, I will bring it up when they are here.

I will say that reading these threads certainly provides me with more questions to ask of the retailer regarding specific mechanics of door/window units that I hadn't realized when selecting the correct product which I'm in the process of doing.

So if I may, I'm finding it difficult to find a vinyl french style patio slider / 4 panel unit that would match the quality of Okna windows which I'm fairly certain I will use for replacement of 16 windows in my home. Any suggestions of manufacturers? Appreciated.

Me again...no need to respond. 8 ft width opening is just too small to install 4 panel unit. Would take some major retro work on framing and brick veneer to go 10 ft wide...and mo money!

4 panels in 8' is going to look uber busy in my opinion.

Why not just go with a 2 panel 8' door. Very much opens up the space.

Glad the thread is helping. I am still in the process of getting my issues resolved. I am giving them one last attempt to correct all issues before deciding what to do next. The new glass just arrived again. Owner said he is going to inspect it Monday. On top of that are the drainage and flashing issues. So wish me luck.

Owner went to inspect the glass and found scratches. Said he is reordering again as he wants perfect glass for me. Guess it's another 3 week wait.

Got the call. Friday the manufacturer rep, the owner and the installers will all be over at my home. Wish me luck.

So, according to the manufacturer, water contained within the sill is normal. They ran a test dumping water for 5min. The water drained as normal and never got past or over the sill. Even though some water remains they deem it normal operation. All the frame is level so it is stated that the drainage is functioning as intended even with water within the track. Highly disappointed

Pete:

Is the sill in shown in section your actual sill?

It is the track/sill of the sliding door.

So they added the drip edge....... Then caulked between the drip edge and drip channel.......prior to starting I specifically asked to ensure no caulk there. It really should not be this hard to get a proper install. They will be back tomorrow as they only have a 8ft bending machine as well, and I did not like the two piece look of a drip edge with uneven seams) and wrap with 2 pieces.

I can no longer recommend this company to anyone. I had to argue with the lead guy as to why the caulk should not be placed there. After 15min, he finally conceded saying I was correct, that the caulk should not be there as there is no where for water to go. I had to ask him when water gets behind the siding under the window, how does the water escape?

They also did not put the drip edge behind the tyvek but only behind the j channel, which is needed to be behind the wrap per my municipal code. At this point, I just told them that if it is not done correctly, I will need to hire out another company and then provide them a receipt for repair which subtracts from my final payment. This is the 4th time out trying to correct issues so I have provided them with enough chances to correct this matter. They will now be out for the 5th time tomorrow morning. It has now reached the point where I can no longer accept these mistakes and this is the last opportunity to complete this job before I need to look elsewhere.

Here is a photo of the two piece trim, drip edge and caulk again, this is the top trim for the 3 panel slider below my window, right above the middle opening. This is a highly reviewed company, probably around 80 5 star reviews, only maybe 3 negative reviews all for not following up after an appointment. Not sure what else I could of done in my selection process. This is why I like to diy almost everything or only have people I know do things. I didn't go with the cheapest company, I went with someone that had great reviews, a good product, excellent references, etc. Sorry for my tone, just a frustrating day.

Pete, it's hard to comment on the overall competency of another company without knowing every last detail, but you seem to be justified in losing faith at this point given the flashing issue. Installing a drip cap over the housewrap and then caulking the J channel to it is a great way to ensure water leakage. Have you discussed these concerns with the owner or just the installer?

Unfortunately, from what I have learned, the owner is just a salesman. He bids jobs, then has another company he works with do all the work. The other company here, I know their name, also has nothing but high marks online. They have worked with one another since the early 2000's. They are all very nice men, which sucks because I want to like them. They work hard but I just think it's a lack of training unfortunately. Again, I am not mad at the guys, but frustrated with the situation itself.

OK, they just left. I am happy to say this finally brings my thread to its ending. I hope this thread ends up helping other people when they encounter issues during their install.

While I may of vented here at times, I was never disrespectful to the company providing their services. Even today after they were done, we sat around, talked and drank some water I offered before they left. This was probably one of the nicest group of guys I have ever hired, unfortunately we ran into a lot of roadblocks. Not only was there some install quality issues, but I had 5 panels of glass that arrived with large factory defects that was completely out of their control. When you combine everything, it just felt like a lot to deal with.

I will post up some final images. All flashing was done properly this time, and they redid the exterior trim and added wood behind the trim as before it was just hollow without support which is why it started separating. I am now happy and just wish this could of been done the first time. I just left my review for the company involved and gave them 5 stars. While it took 5 visits to get all this corrected, they never disrespected me, and always responded to everything. That is a sign of a good company. I told them I never tried to be difficult, but I wanted to be sure I protect my biggest investment which is my home.

Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way, I appreciate all of the support/guidance/advice your provided. Have a great summer!

The glass defects are an industry wide issue at this point where tempered glass is needed. A few ovens are down which has created a shortage and subsequent quality issues. Sounds like these guys stuck with it. The fact that you had to educate them on how to install properly might keep me from giving them a 5, but it’s good that they stuck with you.

That looks like very nice brick moulding. I wonder what kind it is?

That is not brick molding.

Dear heavens! What is it then?

Flat Casing.

Perhaps I can ask you a question. Do I have to start a new one?

I would.