LESLIE: Linda in Florida, you’ve got The Money Pit. She is having an issue with a water-damaged door. How can we help you today?
LINDA: I have water. When it rains, it pools by the garage door. It’s causing the bottom of the garage door to deteriorate. I was wondering how I could keep it from pooling there.
TOM: Is it running to that location from another location? Is it draining down into there?
LINDA: I think it’s the concrete around it has changed over time.
TOM: You’re not going to be able to lift that concrete back up. You could consider putting a drain across the driveway area in front of the garage but it’s a pretty big job. It might just make more sense, if you’re just worried about that door, to scrape, prime and paint it, put a new rubber gasket on the bottom of it. And if it starts to really decay, then replace it and maybe use a vinyl door next time. Because to restore that driveway to a point to where it has pitch is just a big project and it’s going to involve tearing out a part of that driveway. And I just don’t feel it’s worth that unless it gets a lot worse than what it sounds like it is right now.
LINDA: So I guess it’s actually the doorframe. The door itself is fiberglass or something.
TOM: OK, so it’s the doorframe. So, then, what you can is take out the old doorframe and replace it with pressure-treated lumber, which is decay-resistant. It could also be wrapped with aluminum, which will make it look real nice. But rot on the bottom of that water-damaged door jamb on a garage door is extremely common. And I bet you that when the contractor did that, that that water-damaged door jamb is in direct contact with the concrete or even imbedded into it.
LINDA: Yes.
TOM: When you tear it out, you want to have about a ½-inch to an inch gap between the bottom of the door jamb and the top of the concrete so that it can dry. And that makes a big difference, OK?
LINDA: Sure.
TOM: That’s a repair I’ve had to do many times. I know what it looks like.
LINDA: OK. So I guess I’ll have to hire someone to do that job.
TOM: Yeah. Go to HomeAdvisor.com and you can find a local carpenter that can do a small project like that for you. Linda, good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
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