If you have ever seen what looks like missing mortar between the bricks about every two or three feet on a brick veneer wall you are most likely looking at what are called weep holes or weeps.  

​They are an important part of the brick or masonry veneer system.  In building construction, weeps are typically found in a masonry veneer or cavity wall, just above the flashing. The cavity serves as a way to drain this water back out through the weep holes. The weep holes allow wind to create an air stream through the cavity. The stream removes evaporated water from the cavity to the outside. Weep holes are also placed above windows to prevent dry/moisture rot of a wooden window frame.

​Now the other day while doing an inspection on a 5400 square foot six year old home, I found something that I see a few times a year. A homeowner thought that the weep holes were a defect or mistake made by the mason when the brick was placed on the home.  So Mr. Home Owner decided that he needed to seal each and every single weep hole with silicone.. I stopped counting at the 26th sealed weep!  This really could be a major problem if the silicone can't be fully removed from the weep holes. It would defeat the reason for the weeps and could cause major damage to the wall of the home.

So never seal those open holes in the brick walls on your home!

A good deck can improve the value of your home and make for an enjoyable space to relax with family and friends, but improperly built decks are also one of the number one problematic items we find during a home inspection. So many folks do not follow the prescribed and published deck building guidelines for the proper construction of a deck and very seldom are permits taken out to build a deck, so no permit means no inspection or oversight of its construction.

Even the professional deck builders make mistakes!  While doing an inspection I came across this deck.  It was a large deck that measured 20' in length and at it's widest point 18'.  They built the deck with composite deck boards, which are not inexpensive.  They used composite railings, guards and handrail on the stairs. this is a very expensive deck.. The listing agent said it was valued at $16,000!  

When I walked up the stairs, I noticed that I had to bend to the side to hold the handrail.  The handrail was only 23" high at it's highest point along the deck stairs.  It should be at a minumn 34" along the stairs..  So we have a problem!  The deck builder had only one job to do and that was to build the deck properly and they didn't do that!  Handrails are so important and need to be built to current safety guidelines.

So, if you are having a deck built be sure you check and follow up with the work that is being done.  Take that permit out so that it will be inspected and better yet, call a qualified inspector like Trace Inspections to double check that contractors work!