# Weepholes in brick, soil height, excess moisture issues



## jbrah (May 29, 2018)

In the process of remodeling a room (corner room, ground floor, sitting on concrete), I discovered termite damage to the floor plates along with signs of moisture. This is a house built in the early 60's in Long Island NY, with brick veneer (pretty sure it's veneer and not structural brick based on the depth of door frames and window frames).

When I checked the brick outside this room, I noticed that the dirt alongside this area of the house covers up the first/bottom row of brick. When I checked my next door neighbor's house (these homes have nearly identical layouts and were built in the same year), I noticed his first row of brick is exposed (not covered by dirt) and that he has weepholes (no mortar between first row bricks spaced ~28" apart). When I checked my backyard, where we have concrete pad against the house, the first row of brick appears to have weepholes (though some of them have been filled with mortar - this is not the original mortar as it is clearly a different color).

Examples of what appear to be weepholes:

















Example of what might have been a weephole that was subsequently filled in - the mortar is a different color than the original mortar. Also, some of the brick appears to have fallen apart, so the mortar fill is larger than the original weephole would have been.









So I think it's safe to assume the house was built with weepholes. I cannot see the weepholes in the first row of brick I uncovered because spaces between all the bricks are filled with mud - I'll have to scrape the mud off to see which spaces are filled by mortar and which do not have mortar. I also cannot see any flashing, but I'm guessing that if the builder bothered with weepholes, he also installed flashing?

So I'm guessing having the first row of brick covered with dirt is contributing, in part, to the moisture issue I'm having in the framing behind this brick wall - both because the weepholes are covered, and because that first row of brick never dries out which would also keep the row above it relatively wet (since brick is like a sponge). This dirt strip alongside this wall was also full of bushes, which had the effect of shading the wall, which I suspect was another contributor to excess moisture retention. The bushes have since been pulled out. Another factor is faulty gutter downspout installation, where the downspout was not positioned to ensure water clears this dirt strip, so rainwater was being directed into the dirt strip (and the brick nearest here is the wettest, not surprisingly).

First row of bricks uncovered. They're looking a little drier today, when I took the pic, than yesterday, when I uncovered them. That moist dirt packed between the bricks seems to have attracted plant roots. Notice also that moss has been growing on the brick - probably the trapped moisture, the shade provided by the bushes and the relatively low level of sunlight this side of the house gets all contributed to creating favorable conditions for moss growth.

































The entire strip of dirt alongside the house with the first row of bricks exposed:









So I've addressed the bushes and will be addressing the gutter downspout. This leaves the soil height. 

1. Is it standard practice to have the soil height just below the first row of bricks?

2. Should the soil in this strip of dirt adjacent to the brick wall be level, or should it slope down away from the house (to help encourage the rainwater to flow away from the wall)?

3. As mentioned, I cannot see any wall flashing, but is lack of visible wall flashing indicative of there being no wall flashing? Or is it safe to assume it's there since there are weepholes? Is there a way to know for sure without removing bricks?

4. Why didn't these weepholes have screens installed at time of construction (early 60's)? Seems leaving holes in the first row of bricks is an invitation to insects and rodents.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

We do a brick ledge in the concrete foundation so the bottom 1 or 2 rows would be below the floor level and they should stay exposed and there would not be a need for flashing if that is what you have. You can put screens in the weep holes to keep insects out.


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

You've covered all the key points and issues that are repeated in advice to others with brick problems, so either you've been reading those posts or are very well-versed yourself!

1/2. Soil should always be as close to 6" (or more) below a foundation wall top as you can get, and sloped away. If you can't, you problem solve other methods.

3/4. Don't think they had "screened" versions of weep holes back then, so either voids or rope. The only thing I can think of to test for flashing is stick a rounded-end tool into the void and feel the give or knock sound if you are hitting softer felt (back then) or more solid sheathing/concrete. But there's probably a lot of mortar droppings back there in the way.


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## jbrah (May 29, 2018)

Nealtw said:


> We do a brick ledge in the concrete foundation so the bottom 1 or 2 rows would be below the floor level and they should stay exposed and there would not be a need for flashing if that is what you have. You can put screens in the weep holes to keep insects out.


In this case, the first row of brick is basically at exterior grade level, so it sounds like my only option is to lower the soil level so that the first row of bricks stays uncovered.

Wouldn't you need flashing so that water that reaches the bottom of the void between brick and sheathing is directed out toward the brick (and weepholes) rather than pooling against the sheathing?

Yeah, I won't open up the weepholes until I get some screens.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

jbrah said:


> In this case, the first row of brick is basically at exterior grade level, so it sounds like my only option is to lower the soil level so that the first row of bricks stays uncovered.
> 
> Wouldn't you need flashing so that water that reaches the bottom of the void between brick and sheathing is directed out toward the brick (and weepholes) rather than pooling against the sheathing?
> 
> Yeah, I won't open up the weepholes until I get some screens.


 There should always be 6 to8 inches from the dirt to the level of wood structure, that can be foundation or brick, That can be cheated or often is for sidewalks and decks with a foundation but with brick the wipe holes should be maintained or moved up above the deck, the side walk or deck should be lower that the wood structure inside. 

With a slab house the wood structure starts at the floor level.


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## jbrah (May 29, 2018)

3onthetree said:


> You've covered all the key points and issues that are repeated in advice to others with brick problems, so either you've been reading those posts or are very well-versed yourself!


Thanks, I've just been doing some online research as I tried to track down the termite/moisture issue. This is all new to me, so I definitely appreciate guidance from those more seasoned with these kinds of issues.



3onthetree said:


> 1/2. Soil should always be as close to 6" (or more) below a foundation wall top as you can get, and sloped away. If you can't, you problem solve other methods.


:surprise: Wow, so not only should the first row of bricks be exposed, but even 6" of the foundation wall should be exposed? When foundations are poured, doesn't some of it extend past where the brick sits? In other words, if I start digging into that dirt, won't I hit concrete?

If not, then I can lower the soil height below the foundation, but it seems odd that this strip of soil/flower bed would sit sunken into the earth like that. That's just my perception; I haven't looked at other homes to know whether this is common practice or not. My neighbor's soil/mulch height is in line with where the first row of brick meets the foundation.



3onthetree said:


> 3/4. Don't think they had "screened" versions of weep holes back then, so either voids or rope. The only thing I can think of to test for flashing is stick a rounded-end tool into the void and feel the give or knock sound if you are hitting softer felt (back then) or more solid sheathing/concrete. But there's probably a lot of mortar droppings back there in the way.


Makes sense on lack of screened weepholes back then.

The mortar droppings raise another issue - when I open up these weepholes, probably makes sense to go in with a drill, right? Just mark the drill bit so that I don't drill past the depth of the brick?


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## jbrah (May 29, 2018)

Dug out this strip of dirt so the soil level is now several inches below the first row of brick. That first row is starting to dry out, after years of being covered by soil and holding moisture.










Going to measure the weepholes and order proper size screens. Thinking of getting this style: https://ridofmice.net/product/retrofit-weep-hole-insert/









It will keep out mice and larger insects, but not smaller insects. I figure the screens that will keep out small insects will also impede water and air flow, but that's just a guess.


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

Just make sure any mulch doesn't cover up over 4" of the exposed concrete. To answer your earlier question, veneer brick is more porous than concrete. You can butt soil against the concrete, but brick (unless its old Chicago-style) will suck water in. Just lowering the grade will eliminate a lot of the silverfish and rollipollies (slang names in this area).


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## jbrah (May 29, 2018)

Here's a close up pic of the now-exposed first row of brick. What is the blue/gray mortar-like material under the first row of brick? If it's just mortar, why is it a different color than the rest of the mortar?










As you can see, it has fallen off in some areas. Is this a problem? Or is it fine so long as there is mortar under the bricks, even if the excess overhang has chipped off? If it is a problem, what can be done to remedy it?


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## LIJJ (Sep 28, 2021)

Did you ever determine what the blue/gray material was? I'm on LI too and am doing with exactly the same issues. Mine looks like slate.


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