This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In other words, ‘accessible’ should be considered equally applicable to people and water. The authors frequently remind their clients that if people do not have to step up to come inside, neither does water. This problem is already common, but quickly growing because codes and standards require nearly all exterior doors to be accessible-that is, a low threshold with no step and a low-slope walking surface. Thresholds should be set in multiple continuous beads of sealant, and the fastener holes should be filled with sealant.Īn accessible door threshold exposed to direct impinging rainfall can be a source of water penetration almost as large as an open door. Improperly bedded thresholds also provide a common entry point for water to seep below the door frame. It should, however, employ robust waterproofing and drainage details similar to those provided on a window. Glazing set into a door often relies on a simplistic perimeter bead of sealant. More importantly, they can be designed to close against a ‘bump’ in the threshold, compressing and baffling the weatherstripping. Out-swing doors generally resist water penetration better than in-swing doors because their weatherstripping is inside. ![]() Again, door manufacturers have varying quality of weatherstripping design and fabrication. Where the operable leaf of a door closes against a frame, the gap must have durable weatherstripping. Due to the low threshold and the fact there was no step down to the terrace (an accessible design), water leaked through this door repeatedly during storms, causing interior finish damage inside and on the ceiling below. For example, lock strikes form large holes that must be internally sealed on hollow door frames. The effectiveness of the hardware resisting water penetration varies with the design quality and fabrication of the door and frame. Hinges, locks, and handles all present openings through the door and frame. You May Also Like Bearing pad durability in precast concrete garages Designers should not solely rely on sealant joints to keep water out, but most buildings have critical sealant joints that must be maintained. Proper sealant joint design and installation around the perimeter of a door frame is also essential to the building’s waterproofing. The frame’s perimeter must be integrated into the wall’s water-resistive barrier (WRB) through flexible flashings, or water will migrate around the outside of the door. Other leak risks are discussed in the following paragraphs. It may seem obvious, but a door left open, or one that cannot be closed tightly because of wear and tear, is a significant problem during a storm. There are many potential pathways for water to leak in through a door, but the biggest opening is, of course, the doorway itself. Fowler, PhD, PE-the faculty advisor for the research being performed at the Durability Lab, a testing center at the University of Texas at Austin.) Common leak paths for doors. However, these doors’ sill tracks and higher allowed thresholds can provide enough of a step to prevent water entry, so they are not covered in detail in this article.) (The authors gratefully acknowledge the continuing support and leadership of David W. (Many of the leak sources outlined in this article would also apply to sliding glass doors. This article focuses on accessible exterior swing doors used on office buildings, retail, multi-family residential, and institutional buildings for entrances, emergency exits, terraces, balconies, and patios. Most of the sources of leaks can be eliminated by better design and construction practices, but there remains an intractable problem that must be addressed by the industry. ![]() Nevertheless, they continually struggle to prevent water infiltration through this fundamental building element.įigure 1 catalogs the various routes taken by rain infiltrating a doorway. Designers and builders are aware of the issue. Leaking exterior doors are a common problem affecting building owners and tenants, causing property damage, and requiring expensive repairs. All images courtesy Building Diagnostics Inc.īy Adrian Gerard Saldanha and David H.
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