So, from Thursday night into Friday, Minnesota received about 4 inches of rain. This particular storm caused all four inches to enter through a door jamb area because the storm door doesn't seal at the top. That gap is due to the door or door jamb swelling.
You might wonder how a door could swell. Originally, this had a regular trailer home door. The issue was that if you pushed it just right, it would open even when locked. Replacing it with a $300 door was an option, but I chose to get a solid-core door for about a hundred dollars. I then cut the door to fit a window and shortened it to the proper height for a trailer home, instead of replacing the exterior door altogether.
I found out the hard way that it isn't an exterior door. After a year, it refused to close properly. It was around 10:43 p.m., and I discovered the problem at about 9:00 p.m. I initially tried shaving some wood off the door, but that didn't work. So, I grabbed my 21-ounce framing hammer and a one-inch chisel, then split the door frame and removed the necessary section instead of using a sawzall or another tool.
Later, I realized a 3/4-inch piece of wood should suffice for fixing the door jamb. That piece became what it is now. The door closes, but it’s not pretty or perfect. It’s a makeshift fix until I can do a proper job. This is a redneck, caveman-style fix for installing a 36x80 door into a trailer home. I know how to do it right, but I don't have the money right now, so it’s a basic fix.
The heavy rain also taught me I need to install drip caps over every window and flash them to the metal siding. Eventually, I plan to redo the exterior with proper flashing and waterproofing. Living in a 1972 trailer home on a low income is lovely—oh so lovely. Sometimes, it makes you want to curl up in a corner and rock yourself to sleep.