When Hurricane Milton came through in October 2024, the National Hurricane Center says it brought hurricane conditions to the coast "from Clearwater Beach and Tampa southward." The NOAA station at Clearwater Beach recorded sustained winds of 65 knots with a gust of 78 knots, and rain gauges in Clearwater collected more than 11 to nearly 13 inches. That combination, heavy rain pushed sideways by strong wind, is exactly what finds the weak spots around windows and sliding glass doors.
Clearwater's homes are old enough for those weak spots to add up. U.S. Census estimates put the median year built at 1978, and about 56% of the city's housing units were built before 1980. Caulk dries out, weep holes clog, and sliding door sills get "fixed" in ways that let water in.
Is this urgent?
- Call now: water reaching outlets, a sagging or bulging ceiling near the window, or broken glass in a storm. Stay clear, shut off power at the breaker only if you can do it from a dry spot, and call a licensed electrical contractor before using those circuits.
- Call today: water coming in around the frame and onto the floor or into the wall, or a sliding door that won't close and latch. Dry the area within 24 to 48 hours, which the EPA says prevents mold growth in most cases.
- Can wait: a little water in the sliding door track that drains away, or old, dry stains below a window. Check the weep holes and caulk (below), then get it looked at.
Local resources for Clearwater
Why windows and sliding doors leak in wind-driven rain
FEMA studied water coming in through windows and doors after Hurricane Ian and published its recommendations in 2023. It says water intrusion around these openings "can cause dry rot and fastener corrosion that weaken the window or door frame or the wall itself." The usual causes:
- Clogged or caulked-over weep holes. Most sliding doors, FEMA says, are "contain and drain" products: they let some water in by design, hold it in a built-in sill pan, and drain it out through weep holes. FEMA says those holes "should not be covered or plugged with caulk" and must be kept clean.
- A missing sill riser. The raised lip on the inside of a sliding door sill is part of that sill pan. FEMA says many homeowners remove it as a trip hazard, and that "without a riser or sill dam, sliding doors have little resistance to water infiltration."
- Failed caulk. FEMA says sealant degrades over time and needs replacing once it shows "edge curling, cracking, and/or other breaks or delamination."
- Flashing installed wrong. FEMA calls failing to lap flashing "in shingle-like fashion" one of the more common window and door flashing mistakes. That's hidden inside the wall, and fixing it means opening the wall.
- No sill pan under a door, or rotted wood shims under a slider's track. FEMA says wood shims "will quickly rot and deteriorate if exposed to water."
- Doors and windows that don't close tightly. FEMA says the gaps they leave can let water in under wind-driven rain.
- The window type. FEMA says fixed windows and those with compression seals, like casements and awnings, resist water best.
Photograph it before you touch anything
If water came in, take photos and video before you clean up: the window or door, the sill and track, the wall and floor below, any stains on the ceiling, and the outside of the opening. Write down the date and how hard it was raining. If you'll make an insurance claim, ask your insurer what they need; this is general information, not insurance advice.
What you can safely check yourself
Two of the most common causes are easy to check. The U.S. Department of Energy's Building America guide says to pour a glass of water into the track or mist the outside of the glass and watch whether it drains out through the weep holes. If it doesn't, they're clogged. FEMA also says to replace the entire sealant joint if it's cracked or there's a gap between the frame and the wall.
What you can safely do yourself
- Test and clear the weep holes, following our guide to clearing window weep holes and cleaning slider tracks.
- Vacuum and clean sliding door tracks with mild soap, no abrasives.
- Put back a sliding door's sill riser if someone removed it (ask the door's maker for the part).
- Replace cracked exterior caulk on first-floor windows with a sealant labeled for exterior use.
- If water got into the wall, see our guide to cutting out wet drywall.
Leave to a pro: anything on a ladder above the first floor, rotted sills or framing, flashing and sill pans, broken or impact glass, and any window or door replacement.
Repair or replace?
Many leaks are repairs: weep holes, caulk, weatherstripping, a door that won't latch, or a rotted sill. Replacement makes sense when the frame or glass is damaged, the unit can't be made to seal, or you want impact protection. FEMA says installation "is specific to each manufacturer" and must follow the manufacturer's instructions. We repair and replace windows and doors across Clearwater; see our door installation and repair and wood rot repair services.
Permits and product approval in Clearwater
The City of Clearwater's Planning & Development Department issues permits inside city limits (Municipal Services Building, 2nd floor, 100 S. Myrtle Ave., (727) 562-4567). If your address is outside Clearwater city limits, Pinellas County issues the permit (county list).
- Replacement needs a permit. The city's list of work that requires a permit includes "replacement of windows, doors, garage doors or skylights in existing or altered wall openings" and installing all types of hurricane shutters. It says licensed contractors must submit window and door permits online.
- Product approval. Windows and exterior doors must have Florida product approval or local approval (s. 553.842, s. 553.8425). Clearwater's window and door permit requirements ask for manufacturer names and Florida product approval numbers or Miami-Dade NOAs, a floor plan showing the new windows and doors, and wind pressure calculations. You can look up an FL number on the Florida Building Commission's product approval search.
- Clearwater's exemption form doesn't list windows or doors. State law lets a single-family owner ask for an exemption for work under $7,500, but not in a flood hazard area or for structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work (s. 553.79(1)(g)). Clearwater's exempt request form lists stucco, fences, drywall, driveways, patios, turf, non-impact shutters and temporary storm protection, not windows or doors.
- Paperwork and timing. The city says projects over $5,000 need a Notice of Commencement filed with the Pinellas County Clerk before the permit is issued (s. 713.135). Residential plan review is listed at 4 business days, currently extended by up to 15 days.
- Repairs: the city's rule covers repairs too, but doesn't spell out small fixes like re-caulking. Call (727) 562-4567 to confirm.
For help paying for impact windows and doors, see our Safety Harbor impact windows guide, and check My Safe Florida Home for what's open now.
What it costs
| Job | Typical cost | Source | Do it yourself? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window leak repair | $100–$600 | Angi, Tampa, 2026 | Some of it: weep holes and exterior caulk |
| Recaulking a window | $155–$205 | Angi, Tampa, 2026 | Yes, on a first-floor window |
| Window sill replacement | $155–$405 | Angi, Tampa, 2026 | No: often hides rot; may need a permit (ask the city) |
| Glass door repair | $125–$335 | Angi, Tampa, 2026 | Some of it: cleaning tracks and weep holes |
| Weatherstripping replacement (sliding door) | $60–$250 | HomeGuide, national, 2026 | Some of it: parts from the door's maker |
| Sliding glass door, installed | $610–$5,050 | Angi, Tampa, 2026 | No: permit and product approval |
| Window replacement project | $4,720–$13,960 (about $900 per window) | Angi, Tampa, 2026 | No: permit and product approval |
How much does it cost to fix a leaking window or sliding door?
In Tampa, Angi puts window leak repairs at $100 to $600 and glass door repairs at $125 to $335. The price moves with what's actually wrong: a clogged weep hole or failed caulk joint is small, while a rotted sill, damaged flashing or water inside the wall is a bigger repair, and replacement adds a permit and product approval. See the full price guide for sliding glass door repair and window leak repair costs.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my sliding glass door leak when it rains hard?
FEMA says most sliding doors let some water in by design and drain it out through weep holes in a built-in sill pan. When the weep holes clog, or the raised sill riser on the inside has been removed, water can overflow onto the floor.
Do I need a permit to replace windows in Clearwater?
Yes. The City of Clearwater lists replacing windows, doors, garage doors or skylights in existing or altered wall openings as work that requires a permit, and windows and doors need Florida product approval or a Miami-Dade NOA.
Can I use the under-$7,500 permit exemption for a window in Clearwater?
Clearwater's exempt request form lists stucco, fences, drywall, driveways, patios, turf, non-impact shutters and temporary storm protection, not windows or doors. Call the city at (727) 562-4567 to confirm.
Sources
- National Hurricane Center: Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Milton (PDF)
- NWS Tampa Bay: Hurricane Milton rainfall reports (CSV)
- U.S. Census Bureau: ACS 2024 5-year, Clearwater city, FL, median year structure built (B25035)
- U.S. Census Bureau: ACS 2024 5-year, Clearwater city, FL, year structure built (B25034)
- FEMA: Hurricane Ian Recovery Advisory 3, Reducing water intrusion through windows and doors (2023, PDF)
- U.S. DOE / PNNL Building America Solution Center: Clean window weep holes
- U.S. EPA: A brief guide to mold, moisture and your home
- City of Clearwater: Get a building permit
- City of Clearwater: Building permit applications and forms (window and door permit requirements)
- City of Clearwater: Exempt building permit request portal
- City of Clearwater: Emergency Management
- Florida Statutes 553.842, 553.8425, 553.79, 713.135
- Pinellas County: Building departments in Pinellas County
- Florida Building Commission: Product approval search
- My Safe Florida Home: FAQs
- Angi: Window repair cost in Tampa, FL
- Angi: Window frame replacement cost in Tampa, FL
- Angi: Door repair cost in Tampa, FL
- Angi: Exterior door installation cost in Tampa, FL
- Angi: Window replacement cost in Tampa, FL
- HomeGuide: Sliding glass door repair cost