Technical > Home Improvement > Walkout basement doorway leaking

Walkout basement doorway leaking

walkout basement door

Masonry rock

Well I proposed to the builder this morning that he pull off top layer of rock to get behind there and maybe install a drip cap so house wrap doesn't terminate into interior. He insisted he could stop leak sufficiently from exterior by calking and stormed out of the house.
Man is he defensive! I never raised my voice. So anyway, I may have to compromise and ask him to keep door under extended warranty and let him caulk from exterior.

reply to bcool
Check that box above the door, looks like they cut the tyvek for the opening but they didn't flash it, cant tell if its caulked.
Technically the wrap is a flashing and is up to code. Usually around here we use a self adhesive backed flashing tape around all openings and caulk to the flashing cause the wrap isn't waterproof.
To fix it right you would have to remove all the masonry around the door, and the box above the door and redo it.
Cha ching, it will cost a lot to do that. Lath, plaster, mason, carpenter and a painter. + demo and cleanup costs, construction zone for 1-2 months with porta potty.
If its not fixed now, the mold will grow and rot the wood. Caulking might fix it. Or not ...
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Let them eat FIBER!

reply to bcool

reply to bcool
The door should have been flashed before masonry was installed. To rely upon caulk after the fact is lazy and just plain wrong. As you said there is nothing to prevent moisture running down the house wrap, behind the brick mould and into the door cavity. The fact that it has leaked from day one is a testament it was done incorrectly from the start. Despite his defensiveness I'd ride him to fix it correctly, NOT just throwing caulk at it. Sounds like he might want to kick the can down the road until the warranty runs out.

reply to bcool
The pictures clearly shows the problem. The door and windows are not flashed properly, or at all for that matter. Is it possible they added something else after the picture was taken?

Caulking is not the solution for improper flashing. Caulking will last 5-10 years (if that). Proper flashing, 100 years.
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If someone refers to herself / himself as a "guru", they probably aren't.

reply to bcool
I brought this up when the OP was building the house, no flashing on the windows/doors with the stone siding ..

reply to gaforces
manufactured stone embedded in mortar is mounted on wire /felt backing. The mortar around these light stone doesn't seem that thick. From an untrained perspective, seems to me while certainly a messy job and cleaning stone for reuse labor intensive.... it should NOT be a huge deal to cut out the necessary stones around target workspace above door. 1-2 months ought to be 1-2 days in my view and they can use my bathroom.

reply to guppy_fish

reply to mattmag
I think what sent the builder ballistic was when I, an obvious know-nothing earthling, dared to sit him down in front of my computer to show him this video:

reply to bcool
From the IRC, 2009 edition.

R612.1 General. This section prescribes performance and construction requirements for exterior windows and doors installed in walls. Windows and doors shall be installed and flashed in accordance with the fenestration manufacturer's written installation instructions. Window and door openings shall be flashed in accordance with Section R703.8. Written installation instructions shall be provided by the fenestration manufacturer for each window or door.

R703.8 Flashing. Approved corrosion-resistant flashing shall be applied shingle-fashion in a manner to prevent entry of water into the wall cavity or penetration of water to the building structural framing components. Self-adhered membranes used as flashing shall comply with AAMA 711. The flashing shall extend to the surface of the exterior wall finish. Approved corrosion-resistant flashings shall be installed at all of the following locations:

1. Exterior window and door openings. Flashing at exterior window and door openings shall extend to the surface of the exterior wall finish or to the water-resistive barrier for subsequent drainage.

2. At the intersection of chimneys or other masonry construction with frame or stucco walls, with projecting lips on both sides under stucco copings.

3. Under and at the ends of masonry, wood or metal copings and sills.

4. Continuously above all projecting wood trim.

5. Where exterior porches, decks or stairs attach to a wall or floor assembly of wood-frame construction.

6. At wall and roof intersections.

7. At built-in gutters.
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If someone refers to herself / himself as a "guru", they probably aren't.

reply to bcool
I don't know much but I think I have a handle on water related things......

It's gotta be torn all down, cleaned up and then put back together correctly.

reply to bcool
Thank you guys. I'm afraid this will likely get ugly unless the builder somehow legally defends how "Tyvek" qualifies as proper flashing around basement door.

Live and learn...

reply to bcool
Whether or not it meets code is irrelevant. It leaks so obviously it has a problem that needs to be corrected. Relying on the inspections to prevent problems is a big mistake. It depends entirely on the proper code to be applied and for the inspector to be competent. Neither of these is always true.

You have problems because it was not done correctly in the 1st place. The builder needs to fix it. Either willingly or through a lawsuit.

Your logic is undeniable. Before the builder stormed out of my house (which I'm not sure how much was hurt feelings and how much was being a drama queen for intimidation), he kept insisting that he has been doing things this way for 30 years. What he failed to recognize and what you have stated succinctly: my door is leaking and leaking badly and leaking now for 9 months. I don't care what you have done for 30 years---there's a wet door and a wet basement floor because of it! Not to mention two (2) wet spots on my basement walls. Thanks.

reply to bcool
Once again another idea has emerged in an attempt to find an acceptable and permanent fix to leaking entryway in basement.
Home improvement guy thinks (if we are willing) that he could get to brick molding, remove it and work behind there to seal in such a way that it would effectively be "permanently" sealed. Then they would either reinstall existing brick mold to door or bring in new piece to replace the old one. This fix if successful could be done without removing masonry rock.

(I only mention this as an indication that I'm willing to remain open-minded just in case there is a viable alternative to dismantling the masonry rock around the door.)

I understand the idea of removing the brick mold, but don't really think a permanent solution could be made that way. Flashing still wouldn't get behind the stone and wrap like it needs to be in order to prevent leaks. It's an interesting idea, but I really don't think it's acceptable in this case.

Actually if you remove the trim you may be able to work flashing behind the felt paper.

reply to bcool
This happened on one of the doors on my new garage last year. All they had to do was work a piece of flashing up under the Tyvek and siding then put in a few finish nails. Granted that's not the 'proper' way to do it but after the siding is installed your options are limited.
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"Everyone has his day and some days last longer than others." - Winston Churchill

And in my case, it's even a bit more challenging because we're up against masonry rock (not siding). I think I will let the guy come out to see if we can fix by removing brick mold piece in order to (hopefully) seal the door. But I'm only considering this option for the moment. If it can be done, builder still pays!

For the time being though, I did caulk the exterior trim (brick mold and adjacent rock to high heaven with good quality caulking. Then on the awning just above door, I caulked at points where it butts the rock fascia with Lexel caulking in order to impede water coming down from rock directly over the brick mold. We just had a big snow in the Ozarks and there has been some melting already with rain/snow later today. I have some paper towels up in the interior cavity above door to check for any moisture/water intrusion. So far so good which only supports the theory that water is coming in between rock and brick mold through an "unflashed" door. I guess knowing the source of leak is good part of the battle, right?

(I should add that since there appears to be no flashing on door AND that the sheathing and attached Tyvek terminate in that interior cavity I mentioned, it's at least in the realm of possibility that water from some other spot above the door could work its way down the Tyvek or even behind Tyvek/ felt backing down to and into interior cavity above walkout basement door...technically speaking anyway. I was surprised to discover the Tyvek dangling into interior cavity above door.)

NOTE TO SELF FOR THE FUTURE: caulking exterior perimeter is no substitute for correct flashing of new door. If Tyvek is acceptable as "flashing" according to loose municipal building code, then the decent thing to do would have been to at least caulk the crap out of the door before masonry rock was installed!!! Caulking is not a long term solution to this problem. Chances are good (if not effectively repaired) that this door will fail again sooner than later. Lesson learned!