A weep hole is a small, deliberately left gap in a masonry mortar joint, usually at the base of a wall or above flashing, that lets water trapped inside the wall drain back out rather than build up behind the brick.
Brick veneer and cavity walls aren't actually waterproof, they're designed to let some water in and then get it back out. Weep holes are spaced along the bottom course of a wall or directly above a flashing line, giving trapped moisture an exit instead of a place to pool. They're usually formed by leaving a head joint open, inserting a plastic weep vent, or using a rope wick, and they only work if the flashing behind them actually channels water to that point.
Homeowners sometimes plug weep holes thinking they're a mistake or a bug entry point, but sealing them traps water inside the wall right where winter freeze-thaw does the most damage. On a repointing or wall repair job we always check that weep holes are clear and that the flashing above them is still doing its job, because a clogged weep hole quietly damages a wall from the inside for years before it shows on the face.
More masonry vocabulary from the glossary.
The services where this term comes up.
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