fix leaking (badly installed?) door sill plate

[Art M]

I have a steel door to my balcony with an aluminum door sill plate that slopes inward. I can't tell if the house has settled oddly or if it was installed badly in the first place (the latter I think -- looks like the mason may have set the brick too high for the rough opening because the plastic weather stripping piece at the bottom of the door fits to the sill perfectly).

I wanted to try and reposition the sill plate, but I can't figure out how it's attached to the door frame. When I pry up the front and back it feels like it is attached about 1/3 from the front/outer edge.

Picture here:

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

--Art

[franz frippl]

It looks as though the edge of the brick is holding up the sill's outside edge so it is bent. If you were to chip away the brick so the sill would not bend upward, this might help. You might then be able to bend it back to its intended position.

I recently installed a new door and the aluminum sill was attached at bottom of left and right jambs. \\

When you are all done, a bead of caulk between sill and door would help make install look clean.

[Art M]

>

I'm afraid if I chip the brick the sill will end up below the brick line so I'll still have a drainage problem even with caulk.

It looks like they chipped the bricks at the edges to get the door in. That left it humping up in the center on the outside edge. I cut the jambs in the hopes that I could raise the back of sill plate up, but it springs back down. (there's enough space between the bottom of the door and the sill for this to work. I'd just have to reposition the weather-stripping piece)

--Art

[franz frippl]

>>

I'd still opt to correct the brick/sill issue. From your images, it doesn't look like it would take much to chip away the brick.

If you pry too much on the sill and bend it more or even break something, you will have a bigger mess to correct.