Door Leak Repair

[NorCalSteve]

I had noticed water on the floor by the door in my Hawk after rain a few times and, with winter weather close, I decided to track it down. I first decided to calk on the basebord below the door so the water could not run between the left side of the door frame and the bottom of the door frame into the camper. I just put a dab of silicon seal along what looks like a seal that already existed.

I then set up a sprinkler behind the camper and turned it on for about 10 or 15 minutes so it sprayed the back of the camper. Opening the door, the sill had water on it but the water did not leak into the camper. So that leak was fixed. I was still bothered by the water on the base of the door frame. I removed the bottom of the door (4 screws) and found a muddy lake had formed inside the bottom of the door. On my camper, the water that hits the back of the door will run down into the bottom of the door because of the design. That is, the bottom cover comes up over the outside of the back of the door so water that runs down the door will run through the crack between the bottom cover and the door, filling the bottom of the door with some water. I calked between the bottom cover and the door, which fixed this.

Then, I realized that water had run out of the window frame down the inside of the door. So, the window in the door was removed, recalked and replaced. Fairly easy projects.

Steve

 

[takesiteasy]

I love those kind of projects- easy to do and satisfying payoff. Well done.

 

[KILR0Y]

Now You Have Me Thinking Steve... Great Information, Thanks.

 

[Brad's Dad]

Thanks Steve!

I have the exact same leak as you described inside the door of my 2004 Hawk. And it's coming up on the priority list to be repaired within a week. Perfect timing to get me started.

And by the way, what year is your Hawk?

Fred

 

[NorCalSteve]

My Hawk was bought in November 2011. Coming up on two years old. The way the bottom of the door allows water to run into the door is kind of strange but easy to fix. I know older Hawks had a different door.

Steve

 

[RicoV]

Yep, thanks for the great tips, Steve. The door on our Grandby is like yours. I just now completed my caulking frenzy, and in hindsight it seems like a logical thing to have done right from the get-go. From now on the Arizona summer monsoon will need to find some other way of getting inside our camper.

 

[NorCalSteve]

Glad it helped RicoV. It is interesting how the water can/could run inside the door at the bottom on the outside. I feel better about the winter rain her in Northern California as well!

Steve