Water leak; need to find the source

[Aerovette]

So about a year after our house was complete, I noticed the baseboard on either side of our door starting to have paint bubbbles. I discovered the baseboard (MDF) was soaked from a recent rain. It has gotten progressively worse. Cosmetically, I can fix it, but I have no idea where it is coming from. I have recaulked around the door frame and a nearby window. I watched the house being built and can't think of anything that would be causing this. I thought it was weep holes taking in water that is bouncing off the patio, but this started before the patio was poured. What kind of a "specialist" or contractor would I call that will not just do the repair ( I can do that) but find the water source? It is rain related, not plumbing. It has gotten bad enough that the bottom of the door has rotted out (Steel door skin over wood). This was not a premier crew working on this house so I am sure they did something wrong. Just nothing obvious to me.

Cliffs: Need contractor to LOCATE leak. Roof is good (new) and damage is close to the door.

[Rotorhead]

Go into the attic and look. Also, an inproperly sealed window can cause major problems.

[kingpin]

I had a leak in the kitchen ceiling. Water found it's way into the bathroom somehow and started leaking from there. The bathroom is about 15' away.

Good luck.

[DAB]

Pix of ext. and int. ?

[Uri]

Could be anything, to include a vent fan which is not properly installed allowing condensation to drip dow...........water seeks its' own level.

Base board means "What is behind the wall, then look up! :dance:

[Aerovette]

Could be anything, to include a vent fan which is not properly installed allowing condensation to drip dow...........water seeks its' own level.

Base board means "What is behind the wall, then look up! :dance:

I prefer not to tear half the room out if possible. :bilmem:

[ConstantChange]

I would have a friend come over and hand him a water hose. Have him spray down the area while you look for the leak. Once you find the leak, then you can figure out if you need a contractor.

[DAB]

while waiting for pix, since it only shows up after a rain, that narrows it down to exterior elements. poor flashing/caulking around door? poor flashing on siding? poor flashing on roof? improper gutter install? you should not rely only on caulking to keep water out, transitions should be properly flashed and counter flashed to keep water out. likely getting into wall, and going down to bottom plate, thus the wet baseboard.

post some pix when you can, that would really help.

[Gina]

Don't waste your precious time, the black mold will kill you before you ever find the leak. I'd just spend your time on your bucket list instead.:sadangel:

[G8rDMD]

Don't waste your precious time, the black mold will kill you before you ever find the leak. I'd just spend your time on your bucket list instead.:sadangel:

:rofl::rofl:

[Rotorhead]

Don't waste your precious time, the black mold will kill you before you ever find the leak. I'd just spend your time on your bucket list instead.:sadangel:

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Aerovette]

while waiting for pix, since it only shows up after a rain, that narrows it down to exterior elements. poor flashing/caulking around door? poor flashing on siding? poor flashing on roof? improper gutter install? you should not rely only on caulking to keep water out, transitions should be properly flashed and counter flashed to keep water out. likely getting into wall, and going down to bottom plate, thus the wet baseboard.

post some pix when you can, that would really help.

I'll get pix this evening.

The roof has a pretty good slope to it so water runs off quickly and there are no gutters. The fascia hardly even gets wet when it rains because the water over shoots it due to the slope.

The exterior is brick veneer so siding is not an issue.

The weep holes are suspect as is the overall installation of the doors.This situation occurs only at the doors. Other windows in the house show no signs of leaking. This kind of tells me the door install is the primary culprit and the windows adjacent to the door are installed the same as all other windows in the house. Both doors in the back of the house are steel over wood and both have had the bottoms rot out in about a year. It "seems" that water is getting into the threshold and going left and right to the door jamb and then into the footer and baseboard. The tile on the inside of the house creates a barrier that keeps the water behind the baseboard.

What I am looking for is to know what type of guy to call to find the leak. A drywall guy can fix the symptom, but that is not going to be the person that finds the leak.

I may just make a bad thing worse by my logic. That is to take down all the sheetrock around the doors and then do the hose test. That may be overkill.

Other question...What are the odds I can find a door that I can pull the hinge pins and hang right where the old one is?

Thanks !

[lander]

Sounds to me like the doors were installed wrong. Since they've rotted out, I'd have them replaced by a pro. Don't just replace the door, but the whole door/jamb/frame.