Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 09, 2025 ...

Wet Bottom Sill

September 13, 2019, 11:41:48 pm

For some reason (not just because it is raining) my first step inside the door is sopping wet after it rains. I have put new "V" seal around the door and the EPDM rubber weatherseal also.
Still gets water inside.
We got 3.6" of rain over the last three days and now it is wet again.
I followed the installation process and materials that someone on here used and I still get H2O in the stairwell.
I caulked the "porch roof" above the door and apparently nothing has changed.
Any suggestions except moving to the desert?

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Re: Wet Bottom Sill

Reply #1 – September 14, 2019, 06:01:37 am

Wait til it stops raining,you'll never find it.

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Re: Wet Bottom Sill

Reply #2 – September 14, 2019, 08:57:35 am

nitehawk
some coaches have a gutter over the entry door and some don't. my coach did not have
one, so i installed my own, and it deflects the water from running down the sides of the door.

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Re: Wet Bottom Sill

Reply #3 – September 14, 2019, 09:05:47 am

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i installed my own

Wayne, post some photos if you get a chance. Thanks.
jor

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Re: Wet Bottom Sill

Reply #4 – September 14, 2019, 09:24:03 am

there's no way for water to run "up" from below the step and into the step area.  It's gotta be running "down" from some place around your door, and ending up in the step well.  Might be getting in along the side of the door, between door and door frame?

"3.6" of rain over the last three days" is a LOT of rain! 

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Re: Wet Bottom Sill

Reply #5 – September 14, 2019, 09:39:51 am

Our coach does have the gutter above the door.
Standing inside and looking and feeling for water running down inside yields nothing.
And Dave, my Mother taught us to come in out of the rain, and if we were dumb enough to stand out in it to take a bar of soap and a washcloth.  
If I tried to see where the rain was coming in during the downpour, with the door open, I don't think I would succeed.
I think I am going to remove all the existing weatherstripping and install all new.

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Re: Wet Bottom Sill

Reply #6 – September 14, 2019, 10:07:50 am

Go out at night when it's not raining and with a garden hose wet down the door area. Then open the door and use a flashlight to look for water intrusion along both sides of the door. There is a flexible cover on the hinge side that could be leaking or water could be coming in through the seam on the door trim. If it is the seam a little caulk will stop it.

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Re: Wet Bottom Sill

Reply #7 – September 14, 2019, 10:54:02 am

I had a leak around my door in stormy weather.  I finally figured out that when the door was closed, the latching arm at the top of the door depressed the seal in about a two inch area.  In a good strong side wind the water would flow up and over the top of the door and get passed the seal in this small area.  I added an extra bit of a seal which mitigated but did not totally eliminate the problem.  In really heavy rains with gusty side winds I still get a bit of water inside. 

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Re: Wet Bottom Sill

Reply #8 – September 14, 2019, 02:40:09 pm

Sorry, Richard, our '89 coach doesn't have any of those modern things. Open is open and closed is closed and there is no in between and nothing to inhibit the speed going either way.

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