Bugs Coming Through Window Weep Holes (3-Minute Read)

You’ve done your homework and did your best to make your home bug-proof. You’ve installed bug screens on your windows and bug-proofed any openings.

However, come warmer days insects are still appearing in your home? Finally, some detective work leads you to find out that they are entering through the weep holes on your windows. 

If this is your situation, I have some good news for you. The same thing happened to me too. Here is what to do if you have bugs coming through the weep holes on your windows: 

What Exactly Are Weep Holes? 

Weep holes are small holes on the outside and often inside of the window frame. They are a part of the drainage system of the window frame.

Weep holes are always present on storm windows, but can be found on any type of window that faces outside. 

So what’s the point of this tiny hole in your window? Well, it allows the water to drain out of your window sill. In times of rain, and especially wind-driven rain, there can be a lot of water hitting your window.

This water could accumulate in all sorts of weird places, but the weep holes are there to prevent this. In short, weep holes keep your window sills healthy and dry by keeping water and condensation out. 

Do All Windows Have Weep Holes?

No, not all windows have to weep holes. However, they are fairly common, especially on outside-facing windows. Sliding screens usually have to weep holes built-in, as do double-hung windows.

You’ll often see weep holes on wooden windows as they are necessary to prevent mold from developing. Modern PVC windows also typically come with weep holes. 

How Do Bugs Get In? 

Not every window has the same drainage system, but yes, some of them do allow small bugs to get inside your home, at least in theory. This is not very likely to happen, though.

Especially if you are seeing large numbers of insects in your home, make sure to look for other possible sources too, as it is highly unlikely that many bugs would get in through the weep holes on your windows. 

Window weep holes can be especially attractive to mud wasps and other similar wasp species, for example, because they look like the perfect place for them to build their nests.

However, this usually involves simply clogging the weep holes rather than flying in and out of your home through the tiny hole on your window. 

In any case, if the drainage system of your window has a weep hole on the outside and on the inside (usually looks like a tiny slit on the internal side of the frame), bugs may be getting in this way. 

Can I Just Seal the Weep Holes? 

Nope, sealing your weep holes is not the best idea. While you could easily do this, you would run the risk of getting moisture and condensation trapped inside your window frame.

Over time, this would become the perfect place for mold to grow and could ruin your window. 

Another idea that is often mentioned on the internet but does not work is stuffing your window weep holes with steel wool.

While this method might work for weep holes in bricks when you stuff the weep holes in your window weep holes you are not creating a permanent solution.

Yes, this will stop the bugs from coming in the short run, but the steel wool will rust over time and also allow for debris and dust to collect inside the hole. 

How to Prevent Bugs from Getting in Through the Weep Holes 

So how do you stop bugs from coming in through your window weep holes? Well, there are two very similar options: 

Purchase a Ready-Made Weep Hole Cover 

The easiest way to stop bugs coming through the weep holes on your windows is by purchasing ready-made weep hole covers.

Those are easily available online and can also be found in hardware stores in many places. 

Usually, these weep hole covers are basically small strips of bug screen with adhesive along the edges. All you need to do is stick them over the weep holes on your windows. 

Just remember to clean out the weep holes before you stick the protection on them – you don’t want any bugs trapped inside!

For best results, make sure to clean the area where the adhesive will go with alcohol and let dry completely before applying the weep hole protector. 

These simple protectors generally work fairly well. The only downside is the fact that they go on the outside of your window.

This means that the stickers will be exposed to water, sun damage, and all sorts of weather, so they will inevitably get damaged or fall off eventually.

On the bright side, they are fairly cheap so replacing them is not such a big issue. 

DIY Weep Hole Bug Screen 

If you can’t find ready-made weep hole covers to buy, you can easily make your own. To make a weep hole cover, you’ll simply need a small piece of bug screen material or dense wire mesh.

Just buy a small piece from your local hardware store if you don’t have any lying around and cut to appropriate size. Then, stick it over the weep holes using glue or high quality sticky tape. 

Weep Hole Maintenance

While closing your weep holes to prevent the insects from coming in might seem like the solution to all of your problems, there is still one more thing to think about: weep holes need to remain open and allow water to pass through them freely.

To ensure they stay like this, it is recommended that you clean your weep holes once every year. 

Cleaning your weep holes is best done before the period of the year when you expect most rain, so you know they are preparing for the season.

If you’ve already installed a bug screen and don’t want to remove it, you can test your weep holes by simply pouring some water on your window.

If you see the water coming out of the weep hole, everything is fine. If the water does not flow as it should, you should clean the weep hole.

Cleaning your weep holes is quite easy. All you need is a couple of fuzzy cleaners (‘chenille stems’), and you’ll want to stick them inside the weep holes to get rid of any dirt that is stuck in there. 

Final Thoughts 

Insects can be quite clever and find a myriad of ways to enter our homes. Who knew that even our windows sometimes basically have a tunnel built in that allows the bugs to enter your home? Well, we are sorry if you had to find out from experience. In any case, making your window weep holes bug-proof is not that difficult once you know what you are doing. We hope this guide has help you improve the windows on your home!

Alright, that’s it for this article, here are a few hand-selected articles that you might also find interesting reads:

How to Get Rid of Brown Bugs in the House?

How To Stop Bugs Coming In the Window At Night (Easy Checklist)

Keep Bugs Out of Your Apartment – Techniques That Actually Work