[crescere]

I purchased a rental property about five months ago. I noticed that the Pergo flooring where I step into the house by the door was peeling up. When I pulled it up the OSB under it was wet and rotted. The joists below the OSB are very wet as well. The house is on a crawl space. There is a large aluminum awning over the entrance door and the house has aluminum siding. I opened the drywall and found that the footing board is also wet and the insulation is soaked in areas. This problem extends to at least two feet to the side of the door and about two feet back.

The only thing I can think of that would cause this mess is that the gutters above the awning is of poor quality and they are spilling on to the awning and then somehow into my wall. I would appreciate any other thoughts as to what is causing this. I assume to fix it I will have to lay new OSB for at least two feet back on the vestibule. I do not know how to get the wall and footings dry.

If needed I can take pictures of this problem when it is day light. I am in Michigan and it is snowing and cold currently. However this problem existed in the summer. I am just getting to it now.

 

[joecaption]

Let me guess, there's a deck, stoop or steps right outside that door that's even with the threshold and tight to the siding.
One of the most common mistakes made on any house and a 100% sure way to have the issues your having.
Post those pictures when you can.

 

[crescere]

Joe here are the pictures. There are ineed concrete steps directly below this awning.

 

[crescere]

Here are the steps

 

[crescere]

Inside damage

 

[crescere]

Wider shot of steps

 

[crescere]

Damage as you walk inside

 

[federer]

wow that is really bad. i am no expert like these guys here, but the gutter is covering up the awning. so even if water overflows i am not sure how it would get past awning and drip down into there. the water must be getting in from inside the wall, not via the gutter is my guess. did you open up any section of the wall?

 

[Windows on Wash]

Time to call your homeowner. I don't care for reverse curl type gutter caps and their ability to allow for overshoot. Too much rain = bunch of rain hitting that stoop and splashing back on the door/framing.

Joe is right and one of his pet peeves is how they attach decks, stoops, etc to the side or underside of a door. Too close and no proper water diversion. This one does not look as bad as most as it is a bit below the threshold but over a number of years, you get what you get.

That is going to require some considerable work and re-structuring/framing. Not a particularly good DIY starter project.

 

[joecaption]

Not sure why it's such a pet peeve for me, it sure does make me a ton of money fixing the dozens of homes because of this one issue.
Here's a guide telling the steps someone missed when setting your door.
http://www.weatheroutflashing.com/


It looks like they also left out the support under the threshold. A simple piece of 1 X 6 vinyl lumber attached with Tap Cons will keep it from twisting and cracking the seals at the outside corner of the door jambs.

 

[stadry]

its a rental & as long as your tenants are happy, don't worry :no: protecting your investment's another issue, tho,,, when its warmer/dryer, replace the damage & install a liquid membrane for a waterstop,,, might have to replace/repair the landing's slope to provide better drainage,,, any obstructions/improper drainage in the gutters ? just remember wtr likes to run downhill :thumbsup: its not difficult to manage IF you give it the right path down :thumbup:

 

[crescere]

The steps are covered by the awning, but are you saying the fault is with the steps? I read the article you mentioned but I am still not sure of what to do here. What fix would you recommend? Thanks for your help!

I do not yet have tenants in here, but I want it to be ready to rent ASAP.

 

[joecaption]

If it was mine I would completly remove the door, cut out the subflooring and replace.
The hard part is going to be working around that stairway, I'd really need to be on site to figure that one out.
Add the flashing under the door like in the web site I posted, remove and replace that wood brick moulding with new vinyl so there's no more painting or rot.
Reinstall the door.
Install the 1 X 6 vinyl under the threshold to support it.
It's not the stoop that's causing the real problum, it's the lack of flasing and seal under the door.

 

[crescere]

In addition the steps are not really making contact with the house so I do not understand how they are causing an issue. I know I need new gutters and that is in the works.

 

[Duckweather]

One other thing to check is if water is getting over the back of the gutter and into, (what looks like ), solid soffit panels running back and behind the siding.

 

[crescere]

It's not the stoop that's causing the real problum, it's the lack of flasing and seal under the door.

Thanks Joe. How do you think the water is getting in? I am wondering if the bad gutters are flowing over on to the awning and then somehow going down the siding along the wall. In that case the awning is the problem. See how black the gutters and awning are.

 

[joecaption]

If you opened up that sheetrock to the ceiling you could narrow it down.
If it's stained at the top it cold be ice dams under the shingles, shingles cut to short so water getting in behind the fascia.

 

[crescere]

I have been thinking of opening up the drywall. When I slipped my hand upwards it seems to get dryer the fartehr up I go, but there seems to be wet insulation.