Weep holes are an important concept when it comes to maintaining your home. They're not well understood though, because they're difficult to find (look where the white stick is pointing) and sometimes confusing, when you don't understand why there's a hole in your home's exterior envelope.
So what is a weep hole? It's a small opening that allows water to escape from an enclosed area where there's not enough ventilation for the moisture to evaporate quickly. Most weep holes are found at the bottom of a window or wall, but some are also found above an object like the top of windows when the siding is made of brick.
Where are Weep Holes Found?
Typically weep holes are found where water is able to enter home features made of many pieces like windows. Water can also get behind brick/stone walls, because these materials are porous and will absorb water during heavy rains. Water can also escape from inside your home, in the form of moisture in warm air that moves through the walls.
- Exterior windows and storm windows.
- Brick and stone walls, both natural and veneer.
- Other siding like vinyl and wood shakes, may get water behind them during heavy rains.
- Retaining walls for water trapped behind the wall, that could affect the integrity of the wall.
- Shower doors where water can collect on the track.
Credit it for the weep hole illustration goes to NACHI.org.
