Weep holes and Condo's

[DonTx]

Did a 1 year warranty on a Condo on the third floor of a 6 story building. Weep holes consisted of what looked like surgical tubing put through the mortar between the first and second brick. Even the ones over the lintels were this way.

Has anyone seen this before.

The IBC says about the same as the IRC when it comes to weep holes, so I can't see why they would do this on the entire building unless I'm missing something here.

Also, the only egress window in the Master Suite was a 30" long x 15" high swing out window (it only opened about 10 inches) that led to the balcony. Couldn't find anything where the IBC blessed this.

Your thoughts on this?

[hausdok]

Hi,

I seem to remember reading about a company a few years ago that came out with plastic weep tubes for walls. Those looked like surgical tubing but had tiny little one-way valves inside that opened outward when more than a very small amount of water accumulated at the base of the veneer and they prevented wind from blowing back into the cavity.

Honestly don't know where I read about them, so I can't tell you where to find them. Have you gotten this months JLC yet? There's a really well done cut away drawing of a veneer brick installation there. I did notice that the illustrator mis-labeled the weeps, but they are there nonetheless. It's the kind of picture that one scans, crops, resizes and saves to be used to illustrate the concept of weeps and through-wall flashings to clients and obstinate builders.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Scottpat]

See if this will help. I had to look this up last year and this sounds like the same thing.

http://www.sandellmfg.com/products/prodrpwh.htm

[DonTx]

Okay, even if that was them, why would they be between the 1st and 2nd brick instead of below the first brick at the mortar bed?

[hausdok]

Because your supposed to put the through-wall flashings at the bottom of the sills and where they'll be above grade. Sometimes they'll be one, two or three courses above the concrete ledge, especially if they intended for the brick to be below-grade so the foundation wouldn't be seen.

Here, check out this diagram.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Richard Moore]

That BIA site has to be one of the best out there.

Don...

"Also, the only egress window in the Master Suite was a 30" long x 15" high swing out window (it only opened about 10 inches) that led to the balcony. Couldn't find anything where the IBC blessed this.

Wasn't the master suite balcony accessible by an exterior door (slider)? Why would you need to squeeze out via the window?

[DonTx]

I've got the BIA CD. I couldn't tell where their wall flashing was located. I always see weep holes at the lowest point which is just above the slab or lintel.

No slider to the balcony. Just a window. The other windows were fixed position windows.

Donald

[crusty]

But I'm sure you knew this already Donald.

2003 IRC

310.1 Emergency escape and rescue required.

Basements with habitable space and every sleeping room shall have at least one openable emergency escape and rescue opening. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, emergency egress and rescue openings shall be required in each sleeping room, but shall not be required in adjoining areas of the basement. Where emergency escape and rescue openings are provided they shall have a sill height of not more than 44 inches (1118 mm) above the floor. Where a door opening having a threshold below the adjacent ground elevation serves as an emergency escape and rescue opening and is provided with a bulkhead enclosure, the bulkhead enclosure shall comply with Section

310.1.1 Minimum opening area.

All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minutemen clear opening of 5.7 square feet (0.530 m2).

Exception: Grade floor openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5 square feet (0.465 m2).

310.1.2 Minimum opening height.

The minimum net clear opening height shall be 24 inches (610 mm).

310.1.3 Minimum opening width.

The minimum net clear opening width shall be 20 inches (508 mm).

310.1.4 Operational constraints.

Emergency escape and rescue openings shall be operational from the inside of the room without the use of keys or tools.

[DonTx]

Thanks crusty. I did use the IRC but since this was a multi-family, multi-storied building I figured the builder probably would say the IRC didn't apply in this case so I was trying to use the IBC.

No AHJ's in this community.

[crusty]

Sorry Donald. I completely ignored the first paragraph of your post when I re-read it and posted.

[Terence McCann]

Originally posted by crusty

But I'm sure you knew this already Donald.

2003 IRC

310.1 Emergency escape and rescue required.

Basements with habitable space and every sleeping room shall have at least one openable emergency escape and rescue opening. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, emergency egress and rescue openings shall be required in each sleeping room, but shall not be required in adjoining areas of the basement. Where emergency escape and rescue openings are provided they shall have a sill height of not more than 44 inches (1118 mm) above the floor. Where a door opening having a threshold below the adjacent ground elevation serves as an emergency escape and rescue opening and is provided with a bulkhead enclosure, the bulkhead enclosure shall comply with Section

310.1.1 Minimum opening area.

All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minutemen clear opening of 5.7 square feet (0.530 m2).

Steve:

Is the minutemen opening for emergency egress in case of attack? [:-eyebrow

[crusty]

LOL. Spell checker even strikes at the publisher's level too.