Oil in Soil Aggravates Door Corrosion

Question: The aluminum sliding doors to our patio in our Marina del Rey condominium are corroded and are oozing a white substance that hardens to something that looks like crumbly unbaked dough along the bottom track. This substance has crept 12 to 15 inches up the sides of the door. Is there something in the soil that causes this, and what can I do to correct the problem?

Answer: What you described andsounds like a science-fiction movie special effect is actually a common occurrence along much of the Southland coast. The Venice/Marina area was a major oil producer a few decades ago and oil drilling is still a controversial issue a few miles up the coast in Pacific Palisades. The potent combination of oil seepage (there’s still plenty of oil under those apartment buildings and condos) and salt water creates the corrosion that is attacking your aluminum patio door. The only solution is to call in a specialist in windows and doors and have the offending parts--the track and the door itself--replaced or repaired. I’ve forwarded your address and telephone number to a couple of specialists familiar with this problem.

IN THE MAIL: Diane Harris, 1145 W. 62nd St., Los Angeles, doesn’t have the crushed granite mentioned in the July 17 Dear Dale column, but she has 60 to 70 tons of black granite chunks that are available for sale. She said the chunks can be crushed for driveways, patios, etc. She’s at 213/752-1472.

Dale Baldwin will answer remodeling questions of general interest on this page. Send your questions to Home Improvement, Real Estate Department, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053. Baldwin cannot answer questions individually. Snapshots of successful do-it-yourself projects may be submitted but cannot be returned.