The Overlooked Tip For Keeping Water From Pooling In Sliding Glass Doors

A sliding glass door can be one of the most beautiful parts of your home, thanks to all the natural light it lets in throughout the day. However, this door type comes with a surprisingly common vulnerability: water pooling in their narrow tracks, especially if the doors are old. When heavy rain hits, you might notice water collecting at the base, entering and flooding those tracks, and eventually even spilling over onto your baseboards and flooring. It's easy to assume that clogged drain holes or built-up debris in the track are the main culprits. But even when the doors' drainage options (like the weep holes along your door's track) are working fine, a torrential downpour can easily overwhelm the system in no time flat. So, are there any tips for preventing water from leaking in through a sliding glass door? Yes. Adding a physical overhang above the door.

Unlike traditional swinging doors, which are often elevated and sheltered by porch roofs, sliding glass doors are usually installed flush with a home's exterior wall, leaving them entirely unprotected from the elements. Over time, this constant water can do more than just flood over and ruin your interior flooring. It can rot the surrounding framework and cause hidden damage that worsens with each flood. While you may just need to buy newer sliding glass doors with better seals, to truly stop the water from pooling, you have to get the water away from the door altogether.

Water leaks in your home should not be ignored. And, bar none, the most effective solution to water leaking through or pooling in your sliding door tracks is adding either a protective awning or permanent overhang right above your sliding doors. With an overhang, water won't get anywhere near your sliding door or its track system. This preventative approach tackles this dangerous problem right at the root, instead of just cleaning up the overflows after they happen.

There are several ways to set this up depending on your preferences and budget. Installing a small awning or drip cap (an awning-type cover right over your door frame) are the easiest options to start with. These mount to the exterior wall right above your door and come in a variety of styles and materials, like aluminum, acrylic, or galvanized steel. Awnings are also the affordable choice, with options as low as about $50, and should only take around 15 to 30 minutes to install.

Otherwise, consider adding a permanent structural overhang above that door, renovation style. This will be the option that takes longer, costs more, and likely involves getting a contractor and permits from the city for. It's also the option that'll give you full control over how it looks, and that could potentially even boost your home's curb appeal. Regardless of which overhang option you choose, it will help you enjoy rainstorms, not dread them. And maybe this is the motivation you need to find some trendy ideas to redecorate your patio.