Field & trade terms
Weep hole
A weep hole is a deliberate gap that lets water drain back out, left in a mortar joint at the base of a masonry cavity wall or built into a window frame. Cladding and windows aren't watertight; they're designed to let some water through and then drain it, and the weep is the exit. Block or omit the weeps and the water that gets in has nowhere to go, so it backs up against the structure it was supposed to run past.
Run it with the Photo Gate
Masonry inspection checklist
12 items · 25 photos required
How it shows up on site
You see weeps spaced along the bottom course of a brick or block veneer, above flashing and lintels, and as small slots in window sills and storefront frames. They pair with flashing: the flashing catches the water and carries it to the weeps, and the weeps let it out.
What an inspector looks at
The check is that weeps are present, spaced as specified, sitting on top of the flashing so water can actually reach them, and not packed with mortar droppings that block the drainage path. A weep above a bed of fallen mortar drains nothing.
Because RTI closes items on a photo, weeps and their flashing are shot before the next course or the finish buries them: the record that the drainage path was open, not just planned.
Guides that use it
- How to inspect masonryInspect masonry as it rises (units, mortar, reinforcement, grout, and flashing), because a bearing wall or veneer is covered course by course.
- How to inspect a curtain wallInspect a curtain wall as a drained system (anchors, framing, gaskets and pressure plates, glazing, and the weep path) against the details and the approved mock-up.
- How to inspect EIFS and stuccoInspect EIFS and stucco from the drainage plane out (WRB and flashing, lath or board attachment, base coat and mesh, joints, and finish) before the wall can't be opened.
- How to inspect a retaining wallInspect a retaining wall from the foundation up (bearing, reinforcement, drainage, backfill, and the wall system itself), because the drainage and steel are buried behind it.
Standards it's verified against
Checklists that put weep hole to work
Free, field-ready checklists, each with the photo every item needs before it can be submitted.
Related terms
- FlashingThin sheet material lapped into an assembly to direct water back out at joints, edges and openings before it can get behind the finish.
- Vapor barrierA sheet material that limits how much water vapor diffuses through an assembly, placed to keep condensation from forming inside the wall or floor.
- Dry-inThe point at which a building is closed to weather: roof, wall barrier and openings sealed enough to keep water out and let interior work start.
- Backer rodA foam rope pushed into a joint before sealant to set the sealant's depth and give it a clean, two-sided bond.
- Damp-proofingA coating on the outside of a below-grade wall that resists soil moisture: enough for damp ground, but not a waterproof barrier.
- EfflorescenceThe white, powdery salt deposit that appears on masonry or concrete when water moving through the material carries dissolved salts to the surface.
Knowing the term is step one. Proving it is the job.
RTI holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and the photos are attached, then chains the record so it can be proven untouched later.
30-day trial · No card required