Does Vinyl Siding Have Weep Holes

Vinyl siding leaks a lot.

Does vinyl siding have weep holes.

Although vinyl is impervious to water when installed as directed by the manufacturer vinyl siding as a whole is not completely watertight. These are outlets which are small but essential as they channel liquids away which otherwise would work its way within the wall through the seams and into windows and doors. It s pretty easy to remove some panels and inspect the condition of the wall behind though. Vinyl siding systems are designed to allow for ventilation behind the siding and experience has shown the design to be effective.

Vinyl is a potentially leaky material and. When vinyl siding panels are manufactured weep holes will be placed near the bottom by every projection edge. Bird vinyl siding panels have weep holes punched at intervals. Unlike other types of windows you won t accidentally clog the weep holes with paint or caulk but you still must ensure they remain free of debris to drain properly.

Moisture that makes it s way into small gaps and cracks should drain out through channels and weep holes built into the siding. A word of caution. Luckily you have weep holes for the water to escape. Although vinyl siding does have its benefits improperly installed siding and trim can cause a lot of problems.

The small vents in the vinyl frame prevent water from entering the building by draining through the weep holes. If vinyl siding is functioning as designed most surface rain water will run right off it. The important issue is if all of the prep work weather barrier flashing etc behind the siding was done correctly and that s anybody s guess from here. Manufacturers even punch weep holes into the bottom edge of siding to let the water escape.

Water enters where vinyl panels overlap and at the end gaps inside the trim s receiving channels. Water gets behind vinyl siding there s nothing water tight about the stuff. When vinyl j channel is used at the bottom like this proper flashing is essential especially at the corners. Vinyl siding installs in pieces so gaps and overlaps.

1 4 inch weep holes should be drilled about 12 inches apart into the j channel only. This will help keep the track dry and prevent accumulation of unwanted moisture.