Do you need weep holes in brick?
Moisture can penetrate the surface and at siding junctions. You may have noticed that bricks don’t have eyes. Bricks can’t cry. Therefore, brick veneer walls require weep holes to permit moisture to escape from behind the veneer and to allow gaps between the brick veneer and the exterior sheathing to dry.
How do you unclog a weep hole in brick?
A loop of coat hanger wire will remove dirt that may clog weep holes. If they are clogged with mortar that fell behind the wall when it was built, which is common, use a star drill. A star drill is struck with a hammer (not a nail hammer) or mallet. After each strike, you turn it a little and strike it again.
Why do you need weep holes in brick?
Weep holes provide ventilation as well as drainage. The holes you see lead to an air cavity that lies between the home’s exterior sheathing and the bricks themselves. The cavity is about an inch wide, and the air that naturally flows through the weep holes in brick helps to reduce the moisture level in the air cavity.
Can a house flood through weep holes?
No. Unless your home is a submarine the exterior materials along with doors and windows are not watertight and will succumb to the flood waters. Standing water in contact with brick walls (or other veneers) will inevitably enter the structure and plugging weep holes will not improve the situation.
How do you keep bugs out of weep holes?
Corrugated plastics and steel wool pieces are also used to deter pests. While this may work short term, it is not a permanent solution. Corrugated plastic leaves spaces large enough for small insects, like termites, or determined insects, like roaches, to pass through the weep.
Can weep holes get blocked?
It is common for some weep hole openings to become clogged with fallen mortar. If it’s just a very few and if weep openings are frequent enough along the wall bottom, it’s not likely to be a concern. More important is proper flashing at the wall base to be sure that water is directed out to the weep openings.
Can rain get in through weep holes?
In 2010 we commissioned research by Griffith University to investigate whether this was possible. 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.