Weep Holes Are A Homes Silent Workhorse
Exchanging Huge Volumes Of Air And Moisture All Day Long - Don't Mess With This.
Weep Vents Have A Purpose
Often thought of as unsightly gaps in a home's exterior, weep holes can easily be misunderstood.
Some home owners think they are expansion slots for changes in the temperature, while others think they are a mistake that needs to be fixed. This unfortunate misconception can lead to some poor and risky practices such as sealing the weepholes with caulk, shoving in materials like screening or wire mesh, paper and other objects. Below as you read more about 'what is a weep hole' we begin to develop respect for them and learn how to treat them properly.
What Are Weep Holes
Weep holes live along the upper part of your home's foundation resting above a sill plate and acting to allow water to leave the inner wall cavity but also to take in air to pressurize the space and expel moisture. They are part of the building code and tend also to be along the tops of windows, doos, garages.
Weep Hole Do Nots
A Weep Hole is not to be messed with. Don't block them with AC units, decks, shrubs, soil from landscaping. Don't fill them with mesh or anything that restricts airflow. Weep Vents are not builders mistakes nor do they act as hot and cold contraction slots. We wish we could say they are not doorways for pests, but they are indeed that.
Why Are Weep Holes Important?
Without weep holes our walls would build with moisture to the point of inviting mold in the cavity and rot among the building materials. Water is guaranteed to get behind your brick regularly, moisture will be there all the time, it has to have a way to escape. Weep holes are vital in this function. About Brick Wall Construction.
Weep Hole Tampering
If you are looking for a way to stop pests from coming in weepholes and you want the cheapest solution - stainless steel weep vents are it. Why? 1. Low cost to install (do it yourself) 2. Lasts forever (do it one time and be done) 3. Avoid compromising ventilation causing building material rot and mold. Rot and mold will invite other nasty insect infestations costing you more money. SEE: When Ridding Of Mice The Wrong Way Can Lead To Mold and Rot In Walls.
It is a lot cheaper to do the job right the first time with the best weep hole solution than to deal with potential water related damage trying to save a few bucks on the front end.
Your weep hole size and frequency along the wall are designed to take into account the huge wall area they need to ventilate. Start restricting these with mesh and covers with small holes and you are simply asking for trouble. About Wall Construction
