What To Do If Water Is Leaking Through Your Front Door

Is there a puddle of water inside your home every time it rains? After the first time, you probably thought the door just wasn't closed, but it keeps happening. Unfortunately, if the door is closed all the way and water is still getting in, the problem may be related to the door being warped or rotted, or the wooden frame no longer being secure. When you have water leaking through your front door, you'll need to clean up the water thoroughly and also investigate and resolve the underlying cause.

When water leaks through the door, even if it's just a small amount, it can seep into the floorboards, drywall, wood structure, and elsewhere throughout the home, risking structural damage, mold growth, and unsafe conditions. There are times when just a small amount of moisture leaking over the threshold may seem like nothing more than an inconvenience, but in reality, it could lead to worsening conditions for the door's structure through further rotting. Take a closer look at the water and the front door before you actually clean anything up. Can you tell where the water is coming in? Is it coming in from under the door or through an area at the top? Is it running down the side or along the window within the door? That's going to help you determine the best way to fix the problem going forward.

Doing whatever you can to minimize the risk of more water coming into your home is important. To start, you may want to cover the door with a tarp to prevent more water from getting in under the doorframe, or try to cover the opening as much as you can to reduce the amount getting into your home. You'll certainly need to mop up the water, but just drying out the floor isn't enough. If water has been leaking like this for some time, it's likely penetrated into the wood and drywall, making its way into the home's subfloor. You'll need to ensure this is fully dry.

Start by looking for any evidence of mold. This includes dark staining, blistering on the walls near the water, discolored insulation around the front door, or a musty smell. If there's mold, the problem becomes more complex. In most situations, it's best to consult with a mold remediation and cleanup team, especially if that mold is significant. Disturbing it yourself sends mold spores into the air, allowing them to get into your lungs but also spread from room to room.

To fully dry out your home, consider removal of anything that's saturated – like crumbling drywall or soaked insulation — and replacing it. You'll also need to use dehumidifiers and fans to dry out the subfloor and other areas. If these surfaces have significant damage, such as cracking or crumbling pieces due to long-term moisture exposure, replacement is the best structural improvement you can make.

While working on drying out your home, it's also time to find and fix the underlying cause of the leak. There are numerous potential causes. Start by looking for any signs of rotting or warping on your door. If it's oddly shaped, broken, or no longer closing properly, that's a key concern. At night, shine a light along the edge of the door to pinpoint where any openings are. You may need to remove and replace the gasket around the door or the actual wood frame. If the door is warped or rotted, it will have to be replaced. If it's a new door, improper installation could be the cause of water getting into your home. If the windowpane is broken or no longer sealed, that needs to be repaired as well.

Outdoor factors can also pose a risk. For example, if the rain gutters are overflowing right over the top of the door, that creates a lot of pressure on the door to keep water out, and it may fail. Clean out the gutters and ensure the downspouts are clear as well. Poor roof maintenance, clogged drains, and improper grading of the space right outside your door can also cause water to flow into the home instead of away from it. You may benefit from installing a French drain or a swale ditch, depending on the specific cause of the problem. These can help to divert water away from the opening to your home, limiting its ability to flood the space.