The bottom of an exterior door frame is one of the first places rot shows up on a Florida house. You can check your own doors with a flashlight and a pointed tool, and handle some of the upkeep that keeps water out. This guide follows the Florida Division of Emergency Management's Hurricane Retrofit Guide, FEMA's Hurricane Ian advisory on doors and windows, and UF/IFAS Extension. For why door frames rot and what repairs cost, see our post on rotted door frames in Clearwater.
Stop and call a pro before you start if:
- Your home was built before 1978 and you'd be sanding, scraping or cutting painted wood. The EPA says homes built before 1978 may have lead-based paint and recommends hiring a lead-safe certified contractor for renovation, repair or painting projects. If you do it yourself, follow its lead-safe practices.
- The door won't close or lock, or the wall beside it moves. That can be structural damage. Don't pull trim off to look; call a licensed contractor.
- You see mud tubes or small piles of pellets. UF/IFAS says controlling termites "is generally not a do-it-yourself project" and to contact a licensed pest control company.
- Mold covers more than about 10 square feet. The EPA points to its professional remediation guidance for areas that size.
- Water from a flood or sewage came in under the door. The EPA says that if damage "was caused by sewage or other contaminated water," to "call in a professional who has experience cleaning and fixing buildings damaged by contaminated water."
- A doorbell, light or outlet near the door is wet or damaged. Keep clear of it and call a licensed electrical contractor.
What you'll need
| Item | Why | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|
| Ice pick or awl | The state's retrofit guide suggests an ice pick to test wood that gives when pushed | Home Depot · Lowe's |
| Flashlight | To see the bottom of the jamb, the threshold and inside corners | Home Depot · Lowe's |
| Phone or camera | To photograph what you find before anything is repaired | Your pocket |
| Mild soap, water and a rag | FEMA says to clean weatherstripping with soap and water | Any |
| Exterior sealant and a caulk gun (only if the old caulk has failed) | FEMA lists sealants meeting AAMA 800, ASTM C920 Class 25 Grade NS or greater, ASTM C1281 or AAMA 812, compatible with the material | Home Depot · Lowe's |
Step by step
Step 1: Look at the bottom of the frame, trim and baseboard
Start outside, then go inside. The state's retrofit guide says to "look for peeling paint at the bottom of the door jamb and the door casing as well as peeling paint on the baseboard," and to look for "peeling paint and blistered drywall near the door just above the baseboard." Check both sides of the door and the threshold.
Step 2: Push on the wood, then probe it
Press on the bottom of each jamb and the trim with your thumb. The retrofit guide says that if the wood gives, "one can use an ice pick to attempt to push it into the wood," and to "probe in a couple places" because the first spot "may just happen to hit hard grain." The guide offers this test for spotting termite damage hidden under paint, and adds that the hole is so small "a little caulk will fill the hole." Soft wood can also be a sign of rot, so wood the pick sinks into easily is worth a closer look either way.
Step 3: Look for termite signs
UF/IFAS says door frames "are common access points" for termites. Look for:
- Mud tubes on the wall or slab near the door, which UF/IFAS calls "strong evidence for subterranean termites."
- Six-sided pellets pushed out of holes "about the size of a pen tip," a sign of drywood termites.
If you find either, stop and call a licensed pest control company before any repair.
Step 4: Check the caulk around the frame
On the outside, follow the caulk joint where the door frame meets the wall. FEMA's advisory says that if the sealant "is cracked, discontinuous, or delaminated, or there is a gap between the window or door frame and the wall, the entire joint should be replaced." Use an exterior sealant that's compatible with the material, and FEMA says to make sure "the sealant does not block any weep holes." In a pre-1978 home, don't scrape or sand painted trim to remove old caulk without following the EPA's lead-safe practices.
Step 5: Check the weatherstripping and the latch
FEMA says to "periodically clean weatherstripping with soap and water," and if it's damaged, to "contact the window or door manufacturer for replacement." Then close the door and make sure it shuts tightly and latches. FEMA says doors "that do not close tightly may facilitate cracks and gaps" that let water in.
Step 6: Move the water away from the door
UF/IFAS lists simple changes that keep water off the house:
- "Direct irrigation heads away from walls."
- "Direct A/C drainage lines away from your house."
- "Install gutters to manage the flow of water away from your home."
- Keep an inspection space of "at least 6 inches" between the bottom of the siding and the soil or mulch.
The Forest Service's Wood Handbook adds that gutters and downspouts should be "kept free of debris."
Step 7: Don't count on a door sweep for storms
The state's retrofit guide warns not to think a sweep at the bottom of a door "will keep hurricane wind driven rain out," because the wind just pushes the water past it.
Step 8: Photograph what you found and call the right pro
Take close-ups of any soft or peeling spots and a wide shot of the door, and note the date. For rot in the frame, jamb or framing, call a licensed contractor; for termites, a licensed pest control company.
How long it takes
None of our sources give a time for this check.
Stop and call a pro if, once you start, you find:
- Wood the pick sinks into easily, especially at the bottom of the jambs or in the wall beside the door.
- Mud tubes, pellets or hollow-sounding wood.
- Water stains or wet flooring inside the door after rain.
- A door that won't close tightly or latch even after the weatherstripping is clean.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my door frame is rotted?
Look for peeling paint at the bottom of the jamb, trim and baseboard, then push on the wood. The state's retrofit guide says that if it gives, probing with an ice pick in a couple of places will show whether it's soft.
Can I just caulk over a rotted door frame?
No. Caulk can seal a joint, but it won't fix decayed wood. The Forest Service's Wood Handbook says repairs should first correct the moisture that caused the damage and replace the weakened wood.
Will a door sweep keep hurricane rain out?
No. Florida's state retrofit guide says a sweep won't keep hurricane wind-driven rain out, because the wind pushes the water past it.
Sources
- Florida Division of Emergency Management: Hurricane Retrofit Guide, Openings (hinged exterior doors)
- FEMA: Hurricane Ian Recovery Advisory 3, Reducing Water Intrusion Through Windows and Doors (PDF)
- UF/IFAS Extension: Termite Prevention and Control (ENY-2044)
- USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory: Wood Handbook, Chapter 14, Biodeterioration of Wood
- U.S. EPA: Lead-safe renovations for DIYers
- U.S. EPA: Mold cleanup in your home