What is the purpose of the weep holes?

What is the purpose of the weep holes?

The weep holes allow wind to create an air stream through the cavity. The stream removes evaporated water from the cavity to the outside. Weep holes are also placed above windows to prevent dry rot of a wooden window frame.

Are weep holes really necessary?

Though homeowners naturally want to block pests, weep holes should not be sealed with caulk or mortar. The holes are still necessary to drain water and to ventilate the air space.

Are weep holes bad?

DO NOT power up your drill. Drilling weep holes in the proper location is almost impossible because you don’t know the actual termination point of the flashing. If you drill weep holes in the wrong places, you could introduce water penetration, damage mortar, or open the wall to pests.

What happens when weep holes are blocked?

As the water passes through the wall, it falls down the back of the wall and, if the weep holes are open, the water passes through them back outside. If they are clogged with mortar that fell behind the wall when it was built, which is common, use a star drill.

Is it OK to cover weep holes?

Weep holes help to prevent moisture damage and are necessary for the structural integrity of your brick house. So to keep mice out of your house, you have to find a way to cover up your weep holes. But you don’t want to fill them in, because then your walls will be susceptible to damage.

Can water get in through weep holes?

This research demonstrated that even under truly extraordinary conditions water rarely enters the weephole and even if it does it cannot be blown high enough up in the cavity to create internal damp problems. To understand why, it’s important to look at the details of a correctly constructed cavity wall.

Is it OK to put steel wool in weep holes?

There is good news, there are some steps you can take to keep pests from entering your home through weep holes. First, you can use stainless steel wool to plug the holes. This will allow the holes to breath, but keep pests from entering. Just a few puffs of Delta Dust in your weep holes will keep pests away for months.

Can you install weep holes?

Weep holes should be installed in the masonry head joints above all flashing courses. This includes the base of the wall, above all window and door lintels, and above shelf angles. Anywhere the cavity is interrupted, you must install flashing and weeps. There are several ways to form weep holes.

Should I buy a house with no weep holes?

There is no good reason to call out the absence of weep holes in a house as being defective or significantly deficient. The primary function of a weep hole is to allow water to exit the masonry wall cavity. Without proper flashing the weep hole cannot function as required.

How often do you install weep holes?

They should be provided at regular intervals so as to allow any moisture collected by cavity trays to escape. The recommended distance between weep holes is 450mm.

How do you unblock a weep hole?

Clearing clogged weep holes is the simplest, lowest-cost fix for window leaks. Remove fallen leaves, twigs, insect corpses and other objects that may be blocking these openings. Then clean the holes out with a cotton swab or bit of wire (the slow way) or a spritz of compressed air (the shortcut).

How big do weep holes need to be?

Weep holes shall be provided in the outside wythe of masonry walls at a maximum spacing of 33 inches (838 mm) on center. Weep holes shall not be less than 3 /16 inch (4.8 mm) in diameter. Weep holes shall be located immediately above the flashing.

What are weep holes and why do you need them?

1 According to the principle of gravity, the water escapes from the lowest point of the structure. 2 Weep holes are also provided above the door and below the windows. 3 Weep holes that are provided in the brick masonry walls also helpful in the ventilation to allow air to the back of the wall.

What can I do about weep holes in masonry?

If water in it’s liquid state is your problem, when you drill holes for weeping, then water should run out. I would recommend vents along the bottom and top of the masonry wall to provide drainage and ventilation. A siloxane sealer would also help keep most of the rain water out. Visit http://www.brickvent.net for a possible solution.

Is the weep hole in a brick wall waterproof?

Brick is in no way waterproof. As a matter of fact, because brick (and stone) is a porous material it actually behaves much like a sponge. During a rain event, the masonry wall absorbs a tremendous amount of water and and stores it. The weep hole is designed for two purposes.

Do you need a weep hole for a water desk?

If the structure is located about the water desk, there is no possibility of water accumulating behind the wall, so a weep hole will not be required.

How high should be the weep holes be?

Installing weep holes in your windows is a simple process. Just drill a pair of ¼-inch holes through the bottom of the window frame. Some tips to keep in mind: The holes should be about 1-2 inches from the corners of the frame.

Should I fill weep holes?

While you should never fill weep holes with solid material—such as caulk, wood, or mortar—you can put strips of fiberglass screen wire or scouring pad in the weep holes to keep insects out. Watch this video to find out more.

How often do you need a weep hole in masonry wall?

Mark the planned weep hole locations with chalk or a pencil. On an exterior retaining wall, weep holes can be located every 4 to 8 feet, depending on the extent of the water buildup and seepage. If the wall is fairly short and the ground behind it does not remain damp long after a rainfall, holes every 8 feet may prove sufficient.

Why do masonry walls have weep holes?

Weep holes in building exterior masonry walls (brick or stone) are a drainage system that is used in cavity wall or rain-screen wall construction methods to get rid of water that has penetrated the outer wall skin or surface.