Weep holes and ground levels on new Kalkallo homes
Why weep hole clearance and blocked weeps are among the most common handover findings in Kalkallo.
In short: Weep holes let the brick cavity drain and breathe. They need clearance above the ground and must be free of mortar, or water and termites have an easy way in.
What weep holes do
They let water that gets behind brickwork drain out, and let the cavity ventilate. Blocked or buried weeps trap moisture against the frame.
The clearance rule
The bottom of a weep hole should be at least 150mm above the adjacent ground, or 75mm on graded sites. Paths and garden beds poured or built too high break this.
Blocked with mortar
Mortar and render dropped into the weeps during construction is common. It needs raking out before handover.
Fix it before keys
Lowering ground or adjusting paths is the builder's job at handover, and much harder to get done later.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Kalkallo. Licensed building practitioners, Building & Plumbing Commission registration CDB-U 53425.
