Why are these holes important?

Weep holes are the small evenly spaced openings found at the base of brick cavity walls that aid the moisture management of a building.

Homes are designed to keep water out, but moisture can enter your building through rain, condensation, and many other ways, and this is where these holes come in handy.

They primarily act as small drains, assisting any water or moisture that has entered the inside of your cavity wall to escape outside.

They also assist in the ventilation of your structure, helping to dry your precious internal materials and circulating the air to help prevent condensation.

While they are critical for the health of your home’s structure, when no protection is used over them, these openings can create another significant problem.

Pests love these spaces

Brick weep holes serve many important purposes, but a wide range of pests are known to make use of them as thoroughfares into your home or as shelter away from the elements.

Without protection in place, mice, cockroaches, and even snakes can use these spaces to seek out food sources, while flying insects like bees and wasps, love to use them for nests.

Once inside, they can damage your internal structures by chewing through materials or by creating nests that can attract rot or impede the drainage of your home.

Some pests can also pose a health threat to a home’s occupants by; spreading disease through their feces, triggering asthma and allergy symptoms, and from potential bites and stings.

So protecting these holes is necessary, but how do you keep pests out while still ensuring your weep holes can do the job they were designed to do?

Why can’t I just seal them?

If you seal these holes completely you can disrupt your weep hole drainage. Sealing them to prevent pest entry can result in moisture becoming trapped inside your cavity walls.

Trapped moisture, along with reduced ventilation inside the cavity, can lead to fungal growths that may cause damage to your home and allergens that may impact your family.

Structural decay occurs when these fungal growths eat away at the important materials inside your walls, eventually weakening them so much that costly repairs may be required.

Mold and mildew can also produce allergens that may trigger respiratory issues such as asthma or allergies in the very young, elderly, or those with weakened immune systems.

It is for these reasons that using a quality cover product is so important and a far better solution than simply blocking or sealing these holes.

Are you already protected?

If your home is relatively new, you may find that you have weep vents installed in which case you may not need to worry about installing any covers at all.

Weep vents are produced during construction using a former product, and often these feature an integrated secure grill that protects the hole from pests.

So take a walk around the exterior of your home and look for small, vertical openings in your brickwork and check if they are covered with a grill or completely open.

They will typically be in the mortar between your bricks, and will be evenly spaced apart above the foundation but may also be higher up near doors and windows.

If you’ve found your weeps, and they are open and exposed, then it’s time to consider protecting them with a quality cover.

Weepa makes the best products

We believe the best covers are made by Weepa as they have been researching, developing, and perfecting these niche products for over 30 years.

This dedication to a single problem has resulted in industry-leading products, with patented designs, that have been trusted by builders and homeowners for decades.

Along with their extensive range of products for newly constructed homes, they also offer two retrofit covers that help protect existing homes.

Their Termite Protector product is crafted from bifenthrin-infused plastic to protect against termites for up to two years as part of a management plan.

Their main Protector product features a stainless steel design that stops a wide range of pests, and the two can be combined for the ultimate protection.

The benefits of stainless steel

When compared to cheap plastic products, stainless steel designs offer several benefits that make it worth considering over plastic or PVC options.

The greatest benefit is sturdiness and stability. With a more rigid material and a secure fit due to the rib and fringe design, stainless steel products are more reliable.

Marine-grade stainless steel, like that found in the Protector, also resists corrosion meaning they require less maintenance and don’t fail as easily as plastic products.

Another advantage of a stainless steel product like the Protector is that it can help exclude sparks and embers that may be present near wildfire events.

Finally, these products offer an elegant and attractive finish, which is in stark contrast to that of plastics, mesh products, and steel wool.