I've been struggling with water leaking into my garage, particularly at the door. I know that installing a threshold and a door sweep can help, but I'm also concerned about the gaps along the sides of the door. The concrete leading into the garage has a slight slope towards the entrance, which doesn't help and there are some unfilled gaps between the concrete floor and the cinder blocks. What steps should I take to fix this issue?
3 Answers
Definitely seal up those little gaps; even the tiniest ones can channel water inside! Make sure to use backer rods for the gaps before you finish with a high-quality elastomeric sealant. A door sweep is also a solid addition to help keep everything dry.
You might have some bigger issues at play with gaps and maybe even a rotting jamb. A proper solution is to install a proper sloped threshold along with a sill pan made of metal or PVC right under the door. This should lap up the jambs by a couple of inches to help direct any runoff back outside. Filling the gaps with a good sealant will also help, and repairing or replacing any damaged wood at the bottom of the jamb is crucial too.
One effective solution is to consider removing the concrete and putting in a drain, as water naturally follows the path of least resistance. If that seems too much, a concrete threshold installed across the door could also work to deter water.