What Are Weep Holes?: An Important Step in Basement Waterproofing

When it comes to foundations, water damage is common. A flooded basement gives every homeowner a headache, but not all water damage is obvious. Even increased humidity levels in your basement can lead to various problems such as wood rot and mold growth. While rot can eventually compromise the stability of your home, airborne mold spores can contaminate the air you breathe and cause health problems.  

It is quite clear that keeping your home safe from water damage is a step in the right direction. But how can you achieve this goal? With waterproofing solutions, of course. Although most homeowners have heard about sump pumps that can quickly drain large volumes of water from the basement and encapsulation that ensures a clean and dry crawl space, not many have heard about weep holes. Nevertheless, these can be a valuable addition to your waterproofing system and help you ensure the health of your foundation. So, let’s take a closer look at them and their purpose. 

If just the thought of water collecting behind your foundation walls and slowly causing damage makes your stomach turn, it is great that you are getting ahead of this problem. This issue can quickly escalate, causing structural damage and a whole array of moisture issues in your home. Luckily, with weep holes, you can solve this problem. So, what exactly are weep holes? These holes are drilled into your foundation walls and their purpose is to drain the water that has infiltrated them. Water exits through the weep holes, alleviating the pressure on your foundation walls. The excess water then flows into the drainage system. Weep holes must be sized correctly so they can overcome surface tension. 

Now that you know what weep holes are, you are probably wondering whether you should install them. To answer this question, you should find out what type of foundation walls your home has. If they are built from concrete masonry units (CMU blocks) you should consider installing these holes. These blocks can make sturdy walls and bear a lot of weight, but they contain hollow cells. When water infiltrates the wall, it fills in these cavities and increases the hydrostatic pressure. Due to this force water eventually leaks into the basement and causes damage. Of course, you probably won’t be able to completely eliminate hydrostatic pressure, but there are ways to keep it under control. With weep holes, you can efficiently drain water from the CMU blocks and lower the pressure on the walls. This water will enter your drain system, flow into the sump pump pit and finally leave your home. 

Are you considering turning your basement into a comfortable living space? If so, you could benefit from these holes. Make sure you have these holes drilled before you finish your basement and while installing an interior drainage system in your basement.