To fill or not to fill in weep holes?

[Alex R.]

My home is about 25 years old. It has weep holes.

The problem is that along one wall, the weep holes are now only about 2 inches from the ground.

This makes me afraid that during a heavy rain, water will rise to the level of the weep holes.

I'd like to know if there is a problem with filling in these weep holes.

[home improvement guy]

10020The weep holes do two things - ensure any water that may be trapped between the backside of the brick or stone veneer and the sheathing on the exterior frame of the home has a place to drain and allow for pressure equalization between the inside of the home and the outside atmosphere.

This also helps to keep water from forming behind the veneer. The weep holes are necessary and should not be covered.

If water collects too close to the home, you can regrade the yard using a swale or a French drain to protect that side of the foundation.