weep vents

[onlyagirl]

I think this would be the correct category to post this. Anyway the question is; the weep vents above all the Windows of my house have been cemented up. The one's at ground level have not. All the other houses on the estate (built in the 1980, ex housing association), have the little vents above the Windows. My brother motared them up about ten years ago, I don't know why, it wasn't my house then. Should I have them unplugged, as I believe they are required? I have no damp in my house. Thing is, I want to sell the house in the future, will the surveyor say they must be unplugged? I will do it if it's necessary to sell, or if it compromises the house structure in any way.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

The theory is that should any rain penetrate the outer skin of masonry, then this will trickle down the inside face of the outer skin, hit the damp proof course above the windows or doors and then will be directed out via the weep vents. They also serve a purpose during construction when the cavities are open and any rain gets in. Though I believe the latest NHBC guidelines allow weep holes to be left out if the outer skin is rendered.

Arguably they should be be unblocked, an observant surveyor may pick it up and recommend they are unblocked, in which case you could unblock them at that stage (or get your brother to do it ). I have to say I do not ever recall seeing anything drip out of them.

 

[noseall]

I have to say I do not ever recall seeing anything drip out of them.

Very earnest of you Freddy.

 

[onlyagirl]

Thanks for your reply. I will have them unplugged in the near future. My house isn't rendered; it has decorative brick. Why don't they put proper vents that look like vents, so you know what they are? No one would mortar a proper vent!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Because they only need to be tiny, hence the name weep holes. As mentioned their fundamental use is to allow rain to drain out not to vent the cavity. Or weren't you listening? Most people don't block them up.

 

[tony1851]

Or weren't you listening?

Steady on! Girls don't know about these things!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I suppose it didn't help that I called them vents in my first post!

 

[onlyagirl]

You could still have a tiny vent that looks like a vent even if it's not really a vent, and it would look nicer.

 

[tony1851]

You could still have a tiny vent that looks like a vent even if it's not really a vent, and it would look nicer.

Problem is, if it's a tiny vent, it will soon get blocked up by grit, dead insects etc and might cease to be effective.
The weep hole (or- more accurately) 'slot' is the width of the vertical joint between the bricks.

 

[cjard]

You could still have a tiny vent that looks like a vent even if it's not really a vent, and it would look nicer.

I've seen "proper" vents - they look a bit like someone has wedged a sticklebrick in the perp - keeps bugs out