Deflecting rain near door.

[Modstock]

Went through a bad rainstorm last year and had water get inside at the door. I've put a towel there since to soak up rain in case but would like to take other measures.
(Will also be putting new gasket around door).
Above my door is a one inch angle.
Thinking of doing the same in front of the hinge.

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[working on it]

* It T-storms on every camping trip I've ever gone on, even when I was a Boy Scout, so I built my trailer to be reasonably rain-tight as a consequence. I used compression-type automotive doorseals, that I had leftover from restoring my old '69 Chevy C-10 pickup (I wish I still had it) in the late '90's. The seals are mounted on the 1/4" inner doorjambs of the oak bracing surrounding the solid 3/4" plywood doors (totally sealed with "the mix", and multiple coats of poly and paint), and the bottomside has an exterior doorsweep hanging down as a drip-edge, protecting the aluminum threshold there (no rubber seal there, just a wood/aluminum interface).

doorseals and water protection.jpg (131.87 KiB) Viewed 2042 times

* I tested it with a garden hose on "jet-spray", and no leaks. I also made an rain deflector for each side, of 1.5" aluminum angle, to shield the front and top of each door from wind-driven rain (actually, for driving thru the rain), and sealed them to the trailer with PL adhesive, as well as with screws. They also work well, with no leaks. And, I cover my entire 4x8 squareback TTT with a 8x8 canopy, as well, at every campsite (I carry along a spare canopy, too).

rain-proof camping set-ups I use.jpg (254.07 KiB) Viewed 2042 times

* However, one must-do thing about sealing out water, if direct impingement upon any doorseal is possible (like happened to me before I stated using the sidewall or side tent to cover the secondary door), is to make sure that the door is fully closed. During a monsoon-like day at camp, a few years back, I was away from my trailer all day, before I went back at nightfall. The secondary door was not fully shut, and thus the compression seal was ineffective against the heavy ran...and especially useless versus the canopy periodically dumping loads of water on the deflector just above the semi-open door. Needless to say, water got inside, lots of it.

* I usually tilt my trailer by 5 degrees or so, to keep any water from possibly pooling on the flat roof, and that angle made water that got in become 1-2" deep under /around my foam mattress (luckily sealed in a bag); but, the carpet was soaked, and after drying it out as well as I could, I spent a miserable night with my 11" fan on max, the A/C on full (to relieve humidity), two heaters (200 watts each) going, and my awning windows open. After that, I made sure that

• 1) my doors are fully closed,
• 2) I have plenty of towels in reserve (for water absorption),
• 3) my mattress is on 1.5" spacers above the floor, just in case,
• 4) I block the secondary door at all times with the sidewall or side tent,
• 5) re-check my trailer more frequently in heavy rain

[featherliteCT1]

I like your philosophy ... i.e., prepared.

[M C Toyer]

Went through a bad rainstorm last year and had water get inside at the door. I've put a towel there since to soak up rain in case but would like to take other measures.
(Will also be putting new gasket around door).
Above my door is a one inch angle.
Thinking of doing the same in front of the hinge.

Sent from my H1611 using Tapatalk

I agree with Burt re the importance of good seals and stops.

Is the angle above the door a straight 90 degree perpendicular to the wall? Is it possible rain water is migrating along the underside of the angle then seeping into the door opening? Is there room to add a drip edge to the angle to prevent the migration?

[Modstock]

I may end up ordering a different drip cap instead of this cheesy aluminum angle put on by the original builder.

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[M C Toyer]

I may end up ordering a different drip cap instead of this cheesy aluminum angle put on by the original builder.

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The above photo is a general design and would probably not be adequate for a trailer but I've seen higher quality heavy gauge aluminum rain caps with curved ends or a full curve shape if that matches your door.

This one looks fairly light and cheap (i.e., stamped rather than extruded) but accomplishes shedding water.

It would be ideal, if possible, to locate the mounting flange behind the exterior siding so as to not cause another possible point of water intrusion along the top edge or mounting holes, no matter how well sealed.

[tony.latham]

Went through a bad rainstorm last year and had water get inside at the door. I've put a towel there since to soak up rain in case but would like to take other measures.
(Will also be putting new gasket around door).
Above my door is a one inch angle.
Thinking of doing the same in front of the hinge.

Sent from my H1611 using Tapatalk

It sounds like you have a seal problem that won't be completely solved be a deflection device. Pictures of your seal system would help. Coming up with a solution without seeing the issue is tough.



Tony

[GPW]

It rains all the time here so we sealed up the door with rubber gaskets and made a Foam drip edge which does a good job of keeping water out ...

[working on it]

I may end up ordering a different drip cap instead of this cheesy aluminum angle put on by the original builder.

* I made my own, instead of trying to use a factory-made one, due to the unique shape of my doors. I anticipated needing a drip-edge over the doors (I used a door sweep

door sweep on bottom of door.jpg (96.67 KiB) Viewed 1834 times

to act as one, on the bottom of the door, unsealed except for a friction/compression fit), like M.C. Toyer showed (below).

amerimax-home-products-transition-flashing.jpg (26.27 KiB) Viewed 1834 times

* The only problem caused by making my own deflector(s) (which may, or not, be considered "cheesy", but put in context of my home-made trailer, look OK to me), is that I didn't add another downward-sloping piece at the apex of the top piece. I considered doing so, if I didn't plan to use a canopy overhead at all campsites. The primary use of the deflector was to be for shielding the seals from highway-speed-driven water incursion, not overhead rainfall. I never foresaw the canopy dumping water directly on that "unfinished" spot, or the door being left ajar in a monsoon rain.

door deflector; another piece needed for better shielding.jpg (107.82 KiB) Viewed 1834 times

* I may add the piece at a later time, but it really isn't necessary now that I've eliminated the problem by using a canopy sidewall. But, I do like adding my home-made solutions, especially if they're one-off pieces, made from re-purposed materials. Function over form! I'm a camper, not a glamper.

[Modstock]

I ordered a 31" rain cap for the top of the door. Maybe I'll go 1.5" angle in front of the hinge.
Im pretty sure my seal is 1/4" foam with 2 layers. This will be changed to rubber .

Also noticed the door needs a bit of tweaking. Fits tighter at the bottom than the top. A 2x4 should help.

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[Tomterrific]

I used a J bead for aluminum siding bought at Lowes, 10 ft for 4 bucks. It makes a good gutter for a small camper. No leaks ever and it sits outside 24/7.

Tt

1556628454111913976413.jpg (441.42 KiB) Viewed 1797 times

[Modstock]

Here's pics of what I have currently.
Seal is awful.

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[Modstock]

Have the new drip cap in and some angle.
At first I put it right where the angle edge was but.....
Wifes worried we may hit our head on the edge.
The door may hit the top edge when opened fully.
It does hit the angle in front of hinge.

Mounted it about a 1/2" higher and pushed the angle is far forward as I could. Seems better.
Also have some bump stops for the door to prevent damage.

IDK , Should I lower it ???



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[Modstock]

All installed.
Also had some chrome trim left over, used it for the angle edge to help divert water and the top edge is kinda sharp so I put it there.
All siliconed up in the corner.


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[Modstock]

Looks like the new seal made things worse. Maybe too thick.
Gonna go back to the camper style tape and probably remove the door to tweak it.

I think when he bent the T-trim for the door, it developed a bit of a bend outwards near the top.

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