Hello,

My concrete slab house was built about 1965, just outside the city limits at the time. The 'weep holes' are just vertical spots between bricks with no mortar. Some of those slots are a little wide. I imagine you're going to say this can't be right but this slots are on the run of bricks that starts below the slab - the lower part is below the slab but the upper part of the slot is above the slab. I thought the run of bricks was low because it's lower than the floor so I looked in a slot and in the upper part of the brick I could see over the slab.

My floor is REALLY cold during the winters so I am looking at EVERYTHING that might be a problem. I took out the paneling in the den. In the outside wall they had insulation there, they just didn't fold out the 'wings' and staple them to the studs!! I wouldn't be surprised to find that same problem in all the rest of the walls!!

ANYWAY - I looking at EVERY possible cold infiltration point. PLUS I hear mice running on water pipes in the attic (they rattle) and I'm concerned mice are getting in those larger cracks/weep holes.

QUESTION 1 - Could I just get a 3/8 plastic pipe about 4 inches long, stick it in the upper side of the crack/weep hole and fill the crack/weep hole up? That would keep bugs out and perhaps slow down the cold air coming into the house.

QUESTION 2 - would my efforts pass home inspections?

Thank you for your time and help.

Sincerely,
Lloyd

 

Maybe some pics might help.
______________________

 

The first image should show how wide the 'weep holes' are. Note the slab right under it. Perhaps you can see inside the hole also.

The second is to better see the weep holes are at the lowest set of bricks.

The third is to show the weep holes are below the floor. The floor is level with the concrete underneath the door thresshold.

 

I would suspect a lack of insulation between the floor joists as being a factor in your room being cold. I have been under a lot of home of that vintage with no insulation in between the floor joist. I doubt that the weep holes have any bearing on your cold room. Look also to the windows as a source of cold air.

 

The house is on a slab.
The windows, though aluminum, are double paned.
When I took out the old paneling I found the insulation had not been stapled to the studs.
Yeah, the attic insulation needs to be added to.
So about the weep holes - 1/2 inch wide. A bit much don't you think? Forget about bugs, I wondering if that is why I hear the water pipes bouncing sometimes - do I have mice that have gotten in through the weep holes??
Hence my question - should I use a hose to keep the weep hole open but fill up those holes?
Thanks for your help and suggestions.
bamakodaker

 

Geesh, re-read your post and saw that you said "slab" about a dozen times, sorry for the errant post about floor joists...

The brick is just a veneer finish, under the brick should be sheathing covered with some form of house wrap to prevent drafts, then the stud cavity with insulation then finished walls to the inside. The paper on the insulation is a vapor barrier that would help prevent condensation from forming in the wall cavity due to differences in temp between heated and non-heated space. the fact that it was not stapled has little bearing on the cold temp of the room.

Hot air rises and cold air sinks. Naturally, it is cooler near the floor than near the ceiling. Aluminum windows are not great insulators (regardless of double pane) and transfer heat and cold to the inside. I would look to several places where we could try to warm up the room.

What kind of heating system do you have? Forced air, baseboard heat? Do you have a ceiling fan in the room to stir the hot air into the cooler air to balance temps? Is the room "sunken" in relation to the rest of the house? (ie is it a split level ranch?).

 

Hello,

No problem czizzi.

Single level slab, central blower, gas heat, ceiling fans - true, I haven't run ceiling fan in winter. Just feels cooler to me! I will have to try it though!

The other questions about the large weep holes -
Could mice get in through there?
If so, can I fill up the holes and just leave something like a 3/8 plastic tube running through there to let moisture get out?
Would such pass home inspection?

I appreciate any help and suggestions.

bamakodaker

 

suspect your floor's the same temp thru all seasons due to earth temp ( roughly 65f ),,, you're in al & we're in atl - dig down a foot & its the same ambient earth temp in both places.

other than sealing drafts ( cold air falls & heat rises ) & a furnace humidifier, probably not much you can do short of buying warmer slippers for your footsies

mice always take the easiest path - balancing on piping isn't any easier for them than us

any condensation on the alum windows when its cold outside ?

 

In the winter, you run ceiling fans in reverse so that it blows up, not down. Keep in on low as you are "stirring" the air only to mix the warmer with the cooler air.

Weep holes also function to allow the space between the brick and the sheathing to breathe. Restricting the weep holes could cause moisture problems behind the brick wall that you will not notice until its too late. Mice can fit through the smallest of holes, if you have an issue with mice, discuss with a professional or hire a cat (nobody really owns one, they only tolerate us).

Here is an informative article - Brick Veneer Homes, Problems and Fixes | Tile Your World