I have 2 very newly installed ( < 1yr) jeldwen sliding patio doors (aluminum clad) , and I found that they are leaking air on inside around the bottom and side edges of trim. I am wondering whether this is a problem with the installation/product or if its something that I just have to caulk up myself from what visible?
The first one I had installed was leaking air (could feel it on cold windy days) in a gap where my hardwood floor met the frame of the patio door (see arrow 1 in picture) which I caulked up to stop. Arrow 2 and 3 show the areas where I can feel the air on both doors.
How can i know if there was a problem with the installation or if this is just normal for patio doors?. I know that this door is supposed to be very tight according to energy star label at least. Should I just caulk the trim and areas on the inside where I can feel the air or is there something else I should be wary of (lacking expanding foam on installation or something?).
Thanks for any help.
Best Answer
0.1 CFM air leakage is not exactly what I would call "very tight," but it's not terrible for a sliding door. Regardless, this looks like a problem with the installation more so than the door. The trim is covering the gap/joint between the door and the rough opening; if that's open to the exterior or not perfectly sealed off from it, then the trim is doing the job of preventing air movement. Caulk the heck out of it! If you want to get really serious, you could remove the trim, spray foam the gap, and then reinstall the trim.