Upvc bifold doors potential cockup

[thomp1983]

Hi all,

I've a second hand set of upvc doors, when the extension was built the opening for them wasn't tall enough as the builder didn't realise there was a sill, he thought we'd be installing them flush to the brick work so that when I do the garden we'll lay the patio to just below the outside track, that's not an issue.

I've not been able to find a window fitter willing to touch them so yesterday I fitted the frame myself, no problem all screwed in nice and plumb, I then realised tonight presumably if they were installed with a sill previously then this means there would be holes in the bottom of the frame that drain into the sill and then to the outside to allow any water that gets into the frame or runners to escape.

Following this thought I opened the sashes and poured water in the bottom of the openings and after awhile some of the water appeared on the inside of my extension which I guess proves the above,

Do I need to remove the frame again and seal up the holes with silicone or can I run a bead of sealant along the rear inside of the frame and the water will track along this and into the cavity/out of the holes I'll need to drill in the front bottom edge of the frame? (currently there is no sealant on the frame at all, it's just held in place by the screws.

Thank
Chris

 

[ronniecabers]

Do you have any drainage holes on front face of the threshold? Is it a low threshold or has it an upstand? Did you put sealant under the threshold when you fitted it?
I suspect it is going to need to come out to have the ' base drainage ' sealed up and then new drainage holes drilled on the front. I'd you could post a picture up.of the doors and threshold and any ' drainage holes ' you can see then we will have a clearer picture

 

[thomp1983]

Here's some pictures,

Thats what we've got, there's 5 of those holes like the last picture across the frame, I'm assuming there the drain holes, only other thing they can be is the fixings for the sill.

The frame is sat on packers, there's about 10mm gap, the only sealant currently applied is a bead along the bottom inside edge of silicone.

A window fitter has suggested foaming under the door as this should seal the existing drainage holes and then drill drainage holes in the bottom lip of the runner the doors slide in then fit the plastic covers you get for front drainage.

 

[ronniecabers]

They look to far in to be drainage holes. Drainage is normally very close to the outer edge, as the drainage channels for the whole frame is normally the outer ' cell ' . I suspect they are screw holes for the cill, why they weren't countersunk I have no idea lol.
Foam isn't an ideal solution at all , as the water will track to the left and right and very possibly end up in your cavity.

Has that lip that overhangs your brickwork got any drainage holes in it , that's approx the area I would expect to see drainage. Honestly I'd seal those holes in the threshold up or better still use the holes to secure the threshold to your floor, using silicone on the screws as you screw them up ( keeps water from tracking down the screws.) The threshold should ideally be fixed to something
Check thoroughly the threshold on its outer edge lip , inside the rebate , at the ends and outside for drainage holes

 

[thomp1983]

Just checked the sill, there's no screw holes in it at all, it's previously been siliconed to the frame so the previous owner must not have secured the threshold.

I've 6 fixings in the threshold, it's not going anywhere.

If foaming it forced water into the cavity that would do for me, we're talking small amounts of rainfall, I'd imagine there's more water than that gets into the cavity anyway and doesn't cause any harm.

I'll remove the bottom track at some point and see if I can see any drain holes there, it's where i plan to put mine if I can't find any but I'll drill through the track aswell so it can freely drain