Now that you have moved into your new home, you will probably start noticing more details in the structure of your home, such as gaps between the bricks. Although these may look like large cracks between your bricks, don't be afraid.
These openings - called weep holes - are purposely left between bricks in the lower layers of external walls to assist in proper drainage and ventilation. Without ventilation, internal wall studs and other building materials within the wall cavity can become damaged by damp conditions. Additionally, condensation and water that enters the wall cavity need to have an escape path to prevent severe damage from occurring. For this reason, it is extremely important that you do not block weep holes or seal them with caulk. If you live in a brick home, be sure to regularly inspect the weep holes and remove any debris that may be blocking them.
A drawback of weep holes is that they may act as an entry door for pests to access the interior of your walls. To help prevent this from happening, you may want to have weep hole screens installed. These screens, generally constructed of flexible nylon or plastics, are specifically designed to eliminate the chance for pests to enter your walls through weep holes - without interfering with the necessary ventilation and drainage the weep holes provide. Whether or not you decide to install weep hole covers, you should consider hiring pest control to perform quarterly visits to maintain a pest barrier around your home. This will give you peace of mind - and help ensure that any pests are treated before they become a severe problem.
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