Sealing Fire-Escape Door
cotto11
| Posted in General Questions on
have a 2nd story push fire escape door on my house. The house was a handicap group home a few years before we bought it so the door was a retrofit.
Im trying to determine best way to seal up some of the large gaps outside and around the door aluminum fascia. I feel like 1 it lets decent amount of cold air in and 2 easy entrance for bugs. I’m planning on weather striping the door but what to do on the outside. Attached a few photos. Any thoughts?
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Replies
A small awning over the door will help to keep water from sheeting down the siding and flowing into the door. This doesn’t have to be much, It’s closer to kick-out flashing than what you’d think of as an actual awning. I’ve put in small awnings like this before on commercial doors at the bottom of big block walls to deal with water issues.
Bill
To my eye that door is install poorly without any flashing. My guess is lots of water is getting into the walls and it the very likely a rotten mess inside the walls.
Are the bugs you are seeing termites or carpenter ants?
The smart move would be to remove the siding and do a correct install or remove the door and reside the wall.
Walta
Honestly it’s more beetles and such, occasional carpenter ant but nothing crazy. As far as water really haven’t noticed an issue but that doesn’t mean it isn’t bad underneath.
More concern was just cold air seeping In during the winter. I thought about removing the door but it is nice to have an escape on the 2nd floor god forbid anything happens. Removing the door would also mean removing the fire escape but I don’t know
Also was told my siding has insulation backer which you can’t get anymore. House was built in 68’, not sure how true that is.
I would investigate the opening further if you are seeing occasional carpenter ants during the day. Carpenter ants are more active at night. The lone daylight ones are usually scouts.