Thread: Stuffed Weepholes

Whats your opinion of weepholes that have been stuffed?

I think most of this is being done by PC companies to prevent a few crawlers from getting in.

rick

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I heard Stuffed Weepholes was an alternate name for the carry-everywhere lunch item now more commonly known as Hot Pockets.

In Houston, I usually see them stuffed with:

A: Fire ants
B: Old fire ant mounds
C: Landscape mulch

Theres one local pest control company on TV (ABC Pest, Pool, Lawn) that actually shows a mouse going into a weep hole then shows how they can prevent it by stuffing a little wedge shaped device into the weep hole.

I remember after Tropical Storm Allison, a local yahoo in the neighborhood paper made front page by caulking up his weep holes "to prevent flooding" in his home.

Im certain others read it and thought it was a good idea. Maybe next they can move on to blocking the plumbing vents and water leaks from TPV discharge lines.

John,

That ABC company is into about everything aren't they. They started off as just a PC company.

I expect them to get into child birthing before long.

Too many irons in the fire I think.

rick

I had the opportunity to ask a home seller's agent about what looked like 'scotch bright' in weep holes. The response was the owner paid for a local pet company to 'mouse-roof' the house, and the was some prevention technique.

tom

Common recommendation to place "00" steel wool in weep holes to prevent entry of larger bugs, pests, rodents, etc. The practice is not to "Stuff It" in but a very light application. This will not, of course, stop ants and smaller problems but does work well for larger problems. Over the course of a year the steel wool will deteriorate and, for the most part, fall apart. Each year you take a probe and clean it out and replace it as part of annual maintenance. If properly placed it does nothing to stop any necessary drainage or air flow.

It works real well! I live out in the country and perform this annually and it has helped without causing any ill effects. I don't write them up unless they are blocking the weeps, causing problems or stuffed with materials that could cause problems.

O.K. you can proceed to beat me up now!!

If what their stuffing the holes with is still allowing the moisture to exit or create a wicking type action. I don't see a problem.

Originally Posted by EmmanuelScanlan

Common recommendation to place "00" steel wool in weep holes to prevent entry of larger bugs, pests, rodents, etc. The practice is not to "Stuff It" in but a very light application. This will not, of course, stop ants and smaller problems but does work well for larger problems. Over the course of a year the steel wool will deteriorate and, for the most part, fall apart. Each year you take a probe and clean it out and replace it as part of annual maintenance. If properly placed it does nothing to stop any necessary drainage or air flow.

It works real well! I live out in the country and perform this annually and it has helped without causing any ill effects. I don't write them up unless they are blocking the weeps, causing problems or stuffed with materials that could cause problems.

O.K. you can proceed to beat me up now!!

Not beating you up, just commenting on the choice of material.

I bet it does work, for a while, which the PC company will be glad to replace under an annual maintenance contract. Something much more durable, like the plastic 'scotch bright' stuff that Tom mentioned, would be a much more economical choice of materials. Stainless steel wool might be durable enough.

Weep holes are for passing water through the brick and to dry it out through exposure to air. Toss a wad of steel wool in your yard, let it rain on it a few times, and watch how fast it will disappear.

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

Whats your opinion of weepholes that have been stuffed?

I think most of this is being done by PC companies to prevent a few crawlers from getting in.

rick

Rick,

BIA prefers open head joints between bricks over small tubes or wicks, mostly because it allows more air to get into the cavity between the brick and the wall to help dry it out. They don't have a problem with screening the opening in some way to keep insects from getting in as long as air can get in and water can get out.

Brandon

Your lucky if your even have weeps around here. I would say that only about 40% of the homes here have weeps.

I did a new home recently and noticed as I walked up to the house that the weep holes just looked sloppy. So I got closer and saw that the mason must have forgot them and came back to open them up. Well, there were none that were cleared. So I noted it.
Well the buyer homed in on that and demanded a correction. the builder sent someone out with a masonry drill bit and they drilled out the clogging mortar, the rubber flashing and into the framing. Bless their little hearts.
Builder ended up removing the brick around the holes, repairing the flashing and rebricking. Did a nice job and the buyers still walked.

JLMathis