How Far Away Are Weep Holes For Termite Treatment? 

Termites love moisture and will seek it out if they can find a way to get into your home. They will eat your food, spread disease, and create costly repairs. One of the most common ways that they gain access to a home is via weep holes. Weep holes are holes that are placed in the walls of a house, sometimes builders and property owners forget to place them correctly or don’t want them. 

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The best way to prevent termites from entering your home is by keeping your weep holes clear and unobstructed so that they can perform their function of helping the cavity between the bricks in a wall to breathe, remove moisture and keep it out. In addition, weep holes help to ensure that any moisture that does enter your house (floods, condensation, leaks) is able to escape and not cause damage to the structure of your home or interior finishes. 

Weep holes need to be the correct size so that they look like a standard gap between two bricks rather than a large gaping hole. They should be the same distance apart as the bricks and positioned such that they are not blocked by any raised paths, garden beds, or decking. 

It is important that the weep holes have 75mm clearance from the ground so that they do not hinder moisture from escaping your home. This is especially important for flood-resilient homes where the moisture that enters can be released from a weep hole and escape the wall cavity if it is not blocked. 

Inspectors are also on the lookout for any raised paths, garden beds, or decking that may be blocking a weep hole so that the inspector can ensure it has the correct clearance. This is particularly true for a concrete path that may have been laid on top of the weep hole as this could block it and allow water to flow through it to your home. 

Obstructions such as foliage, mulch, stone, timber, or pathways should also be kept at least 75mm away from a weep hole so that it does not provide a route for pests to travel in and out of your home. They should be trimmed regularly to improve airflow and prevent dampness from building up in the area around the weep hole. 

Weep Hole Protectors 

A weep hole protector is a small plastic screen that can be placed into the weep hole of your home to help keep pests out. They have a chemical treatment inside that can kill or deter termites from entering your home. 

They are also an effective physical barrier to other pests and can be replaced if the chemical treatment wears off over time. It is a good idea to have these protectors replaced every 2 years so that they can continue to be an effective barrier to other pests. 

TERM Weep and Vent Barrier 

Polyguard’s TERM Weep and Vent Barrier is a unique product that incorporates a stainless steel mesh and is designed to exclude pests of all sizes from passage through the weep and vent openings. The mesh has been specifically sized to exclude subterranean termites and the screen has a melt bond that enables the mesh to be removed easily from the frame of the weep and vent without the frame being damaged.