Deliberate Gaps in Vertical Mortar Jints.

[conny]

We have vertical gaps in the brick mortar of our rented house.
They are obviously deliberate because they are not randomly spread out, more or less in a uniform pattern. On the gable end they are running in a straight line from about 6' above ground level up to the eaves(?) and set courses of bricks apart.
(Will try to take some pics tomorrow).

What would be the purpose of these gaps? We have noticed a very large bumble bee hovering around one of them so have stuffed some netting in for the time being. Certainly don't want anything nesting in there.

 

[kazuya]

probably weep holes

 

[conny]

Can I mortar them in to prevent anything getting in?

Or maybe jamming some netting in them to allow any moisture out but stop insects/bees/wasps etc from getting in.

 

[noseall]

Use proprietary weep vents and a bit of silicon to fix them in.

 

[CambridgeBrummie]

Photos would help. Why would they be weep holes at 6 feet above ground and why would they run all the way upto eaves. Usually you would expect weep holes just above the DPC and only one brick course high. Sounds odd!

They could be the putlug holes from the original scaffolding build, in which case you can fill them. However some marked up photos would help.

 

[kazuya]

well not just above DPC anywhere there's a cavity tray

 

[conny]

Sorry no photo's yet. Been late getting home from work each night. Hopefully post some at the weekend.
Thanks for the comments so far.

 

[rossjackson92]

Are the holes on each end of the course of bricks? I am bit confused by what you're saying but at first thought i thought it could be where the bricklayer used a clamp to hold a profile in.

Like so

 

[JohnD]

I'm with the putlogs.

 

[noseall]

Puddie slots are usually in the bed joint rather than the perp's.

 

[jeds]

As noseall - it would be unusual to place putlogs in the perp joints. I'd have a poke around in the holes. If they are weep holes there must be some sort of dpc or tray in the back. If it's just cavity, fill them in.

 

[stuart45]

Could be a regional thing, but I've worked on quite a few sites where the putlogs were in the perps.
Normally 18th above ground and 19th on the side flanks and then every 20.
Have also seen them in the beds, although they were a hassle if working to a tight gauge.

 

[conny]

As promised, some photo's.
First is one of the gable end and you can see the gaps are in a straight line vertically. There are 3 slots on each horizontal line, (all in the same course line), and this is repeated on the right of the window. The lowest slots are about 5'-6" from ground level and the highest are just below the roof line out of shot.
Second pic is of a single slot.
I've just noticed that the brickwork appears to have stretchers in each course and looking down the slot, with the aid of a torch, there seems to be about 1/2" gap to the internal brickwork.
House was built in 1876 and extended a few years ago to closely match the original brickwork, (hence the patterned brickwork). These slots are only in the front and side of the extended part, not the original structure. Rear of house faces east, side faces south and front faces west, if that is of any significance.

 

[^woody^]

Putlog holes

 

[Nozzle]

I think these holes have crimped over scaffold poles shoved in them

Nozzle