You know if you are in a high rise and you have a balcony, typically it will be a sliding glass door and typically the interior floor elevation and the exterior balcony floor elevation will be the same. Therefore when there is a driving rain (almost horizontal) the rain will be forced under the sliding glass door track and get inside.
I have seen some contraption in high end hotels where they install some aluminum barrier about 3 to 4 inches high on the outside to seal and act as a barrier. The rain cannot get in, but in order to step in and out one has to raide their feet a few inches.
Is there a alternative idea besides raising the interior floor elevation or lower the balcony elevation? If this is the only solution, is there a "nicer looking" contraption that can be used?
Up here, maybe more because of the snow than the wind-driven rain, it's typical to have the threshold of the sliders on a curb several inches above the slab. In the 60s vintage buildings a continuous low profile hot water radiator would run right past the door opening. Oddly, now that I think about it, over the years these rads have not suffered too badly from that fact...
You could install a rubber flap that acts as a runoff point so any water flows down and away from the bottom of the doors. It could be made small enough to fit in between the fixed and sliding doors, unless the slider is on the outside, which then alleviates the problem and allows the flap to be larger - this would be virtually invisible if the doors were dark.
Of course, a drop of 10mm between the inside and out would be unnoticeable and assist greatly in keeping the water where it is supposed to be too.
Personally I think the aluminium barrier is a crap idea and negates the whole point of the flow between areas.
One more idea and this one would be lovely but is in the realms of dreams, would be a aluminium and rubber flap like a squeegee, that sat in a slot when the door was open and was extended when shut - it could pivot at one end and be sprung - on the door could be a small roller that moves along the top edge, pushing it down as the door is opened and it pops back into place when shut......bit hard to describe - If I can be bothered and have time I will draw it.
After writing all this, I think a simple silicon rubber flap that has contact with the bottom of the door (fixed to it in fact) as well as with the aluminium threshold would do the job fine and last for ages - for peace of mind, place it on both sides of the frame - doesn't even need to be big/high - 45mm would cover it fine - a bead of quality, exterior silicon behind it and it would stay in place
Finally, installation of a long stainless or ABS grille-drainage system along that part of the opening would also assist greatly, but is most practical at design stage as retrofits are a huge hassle.
"mindesign" wrote in message news:466c7dce$0$1186$ snipped-for-privacy@un-2park-reader-01.sydney.pipenetworks.com.au...
Thanks for the thoughts. I was at an Orlando hotel recently and they had every balcony at same elevation as the room elevation. We had three famiies in three separate rooms two on the same floor and one at a lower floor. I noticed they had a 4" aluminum plate at the bottom of each sliding glass door. It's a tripping hazzard for everyone to step outside. I am sure it had to do with the driving rain in the summer and occasional hurricane threats.
I myself have a similar situation with about 8 doors that open to a courtyard which had three storm drain inlets, and my door was just a bit higher, like an inch only and in extreme cases when the rain is horizontal it will get in. It may also flood since the courtyard receives half the roof's rain runoff plus the courtyard area itself. I computed with a 4 inch/hour rainfall intensity the three 3.5" drains will not drain fast enough if it's sustained. I am considering a linear trench drain system but the thought of cutting a trench all the way around through a 4" thick concrete deck gives me a headache.
I am just wondering if yours is a home that has no guttering and storm water system.....
4 inch drains are probably the way to go even though it is a huge pain to cut the concrete. Once done however, your issues would be greatly reduced.
First thing I would do is get absolutely 100% certain why the water is coming in - could save a lot of unnecessary work. If the roof is the main reason, then look at a guttering system to get the water away from the courtyard .... apologies if these ideas are naive - we cannot build a home in Australia ,with completely capturing all roof runoff and either storing it or sending it through our storm water system.
When you say courtyard, do you mean a grassed area or paved? You could lift it (grass or paving) and install aggregate drainage underneath thereby reducing the impact of heavier rainfalls.
The horizontal rain issue: Awnings? Veranda? Different doors designed to cater for this type of condition? (OUCH$$$$) Modify the doors to emulate the previous?
APOLOGIES - MIS-TYPED the following in my previous post
courtyard .... apologies if these ideas are naive - we cannot build a home in Australia ,with completely capturing all roof runoff and either storing it or sending it through our storm water system
SHOULD READ
courtyard .... apologies if these ideas are naive - we cannot build a home in Australia ,withOUT completely capturing all roof runoff and either storing it or sending it through our storm water system
"mindesign" wrote in message news:466dcd9f$0$1181$ snipped-for-privacy@un-2park-reader-01.sydney.pipenetworks.com.au...
"mindesign" wrote in message news:466c7dce$0$1186$ snipped-for-privacy@un-2park-reader-01.sydney.pipenetworks.com.au...
Steve - are you talking about a rubber flap attached to the bottom of the aluminum track that goes from one end of the door opening to the other? or are you talking about a rubber flap attached to the bottom of the door that is resting on the track?
The door is a double sliding glass door, two doors one inside one outside and can be opened from either end. Or can be a double french door that opens out.
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