Drips only after rain
The corner gets wet during storms or after snow melts, and the rest of the door may look dry.
Start here: Check outside runoff, the bottom seal, and whether the slab or driveway sends water to that corner.
Garage Door Leak Troubleshooting
Garage Door Bottom Corner Drips
Direct answer: If a garage door bottom corner drips, the usual cause is not a hole in the door panel. Most of the time water is collecting at the low corner from condensation, a flattened garage door bottom seal, or a floor that pitches toward that side.
Most likely: Start by figuring out whether the water is forming on the inside face of the door or coming in from outside under the bottom edge. That split tells you where to spend your time.
Look at the water pattern before you touch anything. A drip that shows up on cold mornings with no rain points to condensation. A drip after rain or snowmelt points to water getting past the bottom seal or running to the low side of the slab. Reality check: one wet corner does not automatically mean the whole garage door is failing. Common wrong move: smearing sealant along the bottom edge before checking floor slope and door alignment.
Don’t start with: Do not start by caulking the corner shut or replacing random weatherstripping. That often traps water, misses the source, and leaves you with the same puddle.
Shows up only after rain or snowmelt?Check the bottom seal contact and whether the slab falls toward that corner.
Shows up on dry cold mornings too?Treat it like condensation first and look for cold metal, damp interior air, and water beads on the inside face.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-05
What the drip pattern is telling you
Drips on cold dry mornings
You see beads of water on the inside face of the bottom panel, often with no recent rain.
Start here: Check for condensation first, especially on uninsulated metal doors and garages with damp air.
One corner leaves a gap when closed
You can see light, feel a draft, or slide a thin strip under one bottom corner.
Start here: Check for a crushed garage door bottom seal or an uneven door sitting low on one side.
Water tracks down the side jamb to the bottom corner
The puddle forms at the corner, but the wet path starts higher up along the frame or weatherstrip.
Start here: Check the side weatherstrip, trim joints, and nearby wall or roof runoff before blaming the bottom seal.
Most likely causes
1. Condensation on the inside of the bottom panel
This is common on metal garage doors when the panel gets cold and the garage air is damp. Water beads up and runs to the lowest corner.
Quick check: Wipe the door dry, then look again on a cool morning. If fresh beads form on the inside face with no rain outside, it is condensation.
2. Garage door bottom seal flattened, torn, or stiff at one corner
The seal takes a set over time, especially at the corners. Water sneaks under the weak spot and collects at the low side.
Quick check: With the door closed, inspect the rubber along the wet corner. Look for a crushed lip, split end, or a section that is not touching the floor.
3. Garage floor or driveway pitches water to one side
Even a good seal can leak if runoff is being pushed toward one corner and held there. The low corner always shows the problem first.
Quick check: After rain, watch where water sits outside and just inside the door. If it consistently gathers at the same corner, slope is part of the problem.
4. Garage door is slightly uneven in the opening
If one side of the door sits higher, the bottom seal cannot compress evenly. That leaves a gap at one corner and can also point to track or cable issues.
Quick check: Close the door and compare the gap to the floor from left to right. If one corner is visibly higher or the top section looks crooked, treat it as an alignment issue.
Step-by-step fix
Step 1: Figure out if the water is coming from inside the door or from outside under it
This is the cleanest first split. Condensation and rain intrusion leave different clues, and the fix is different.
- Dry the wet corner, the inside face of the bottom panel, and the floor with a towel.
- Check the weather outside and think about timing: only after rain or snowmelt, or also on dry cold mornings.
- Look for water beads forming on the inside face of the door panel versus a wet line right at the floor under the seal.
- If possible, close the door and look from inside with a flashlight for daylight at the bottom corner.
Next move: You can tell whether the water is forming on the door itself or getting past the bottom edge. Move to the next checks anyway, but keep notes on when the drip happens. Timing usually gives the answer even when the water path is messy.
What to conclude: Inside-face beads point to condensation. A wet floor line at the threshold points to outside water getting past the seal.
Stop if:
- The door is visibly crooked in the opening.
- You see a loose cable, damaged bottom bracket, or anything tied to spring tension.
- Water is entering from the wall, header, or ceiling instead of the door area.
Step 2: Check the easy seal problems at the wet corner
A worn garage door bottom seal is one of the most common true leak causes, and you can confirm it without taking anything apart.
- With the door closed, inspect the garage door bottom seal at both corners and compare them.
- Look for a torn end, hardened rubber, flattened profile, or a seal that has pulled partly out of its retainer.
- Slide a thin strip of paper or cardboard near the wet corner. If it slips under easily while the other side grips, that corner is not sealing well.
- Clean dirt and grit off the seal and floor with warm water and mild soap, then dry both surfaces and recheck contact.
Next move: If the seal was dirty or folded and now sits flat, you may have solved a simple contact problem. If the corner still has a gap or the rubber is damaged, the bottom seal is a likely repair part.
What to conclude: A weak corner seal lets wind-driven rain and meltwater sneak under even when the rest of the door looks fine.
Step 3: See whether the slab or driveway is feeding water to that corner
A lot of one-corner leaks are really drainage problems. If the floor is the low spot, a new seal alone may only help a little.
- During or right after rain, watch where water sits outside the closed door.
- Check whether the driveway or apron sends runoff toward the wet corner instead of away from the opening.
- Inside the garage, look for a shallow puddle line that travels along the threshold to the same corner.
- If the seal looks decent but water still gathers at one side, note that drainage is part of the cause.
Next move: You have confirmed the source path and can stop guessing at the door itself. If no outside water is present and the door face still sweats, go back to the condensation path.
Step 4: Check whether the door is sitting uneven on the floor
If one corner is high, the bottom seal cannot do its job. This also helps you catch a more serious garage door issue early.
- Close the door fully and stand back to compare the bottom edge to the floor across the full width.
- Look at the top section and side gaps. If the door looks racked or one side gap is tighter, the door may be out of level.
- Open the door a foot or two and watch whether it moves smoothly in both tracks without one side lagging.
- If the door binds, looks crooked, or the bottom edge is clearly uneven, stop short of adjusting cables, drums, or spring-loaded hardware.
Next move: You have separated a simple seal problem from a door alignment problem. If the door sits evenly and moves smoothly, the main repair path is usually the bottom seal or moisture control.
Step 5: Make the repair that matches what you found
Once you know whether this is condensation, a bad seal, drainage, or an uneven door, the next move is straightforward.
- If it is condensation, lower garage humidity, keep wet vehicles from dripping for long periods, and improve air movement so water does not keep forming on the cold panel.
- If the garage door bottom seal is torn, stiff, or not contacting the floor at the wet corner, replace the garage door bottom seal with the same style and size retainer fit.
- If water is being pushed to one side outside, correct the simple runoff issue you can reach safely, such as clearing debris that dams water near the opening.
- If the door is uneven, crooked, or binding, stop DIY adjustments on tensioned hardware and schedule a garage door pro to level and inspect the system.
A good result: The corner should stay dry through the next rain or cold morning cycle, and the seal should touch evenly across the floor.
If not: If a new seal still leaks at one corner, the remaining cause is usually floor slope, side-jamb leakage, or an out-of-level door that needs service.
What to conclude: The right fix depends on the source path. Replace the seal only when the seal has actually failed; call for service when the door itself is not sitting right.
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FAQ
Why does only one bottom corner of my garage door drip?
Because water usually runs to the low spot. That can be the low corner of the slab, the low corner of the door, or the coldest corner where condensation collects and runs down.
Can condensation really make a garage door drip that much?
Yes. An uninsulated metal garage door can sweat enough to leave a small puddle, especially when the garage air is damp and the outside temperature drops fast.
Will a new garage door bottom seal fix the problem every time?
No. It helps when the old seal is torn, flattened, or not touching the floor. If the slab slopes badly, runoff is being pushed to one side, or the door is uneven, the leak can continue.
Should I caulk the bottom corner shut?
Usually no. Caulk at the corner often hides the real source and can trap water where you do not want it. Find out whether the water is coming from condensation, the bottom edge, or the side jamb first.
When is this a garage door service call instead of a seal job?
Call for service when the door is crooked, binds in the track, has a visible gap that changes side to side, or shows cable, spring, or bottom bracket problems. Those issues affect safe operation, not just water control.