Backfill on brick veneer

[Brian R. Paull]

I inspected a condo today which has backfill approximately 18" up on brick veneer which covers a frame wall. I could find no weep holes in the brick above grade and could not see what kind of barrrier was installed behind the brick. The part of the brick where I could see the bottom of the first course has lintels instead of poured brick ledges. I looked through some of the brick threads on the board and couldn't find an answer. Lots of unknowns here but I could use some opinions.

[dcook1]

Brian,
I was a bricklayer for 25 years. To have grading up that high would actually allow moisture to creep into any existing weep holes in the bottom course.
The masonry on lintels is common in some areas, but as this seems to be placing the metal under soil, the metal will eventually rust out.
How old is the condo?
How will the grade be affected by removing the soil piled up that high?
Without looking at this setup, it sounds like this situation has the potential for affecting the building including the inside framed wall later down the road.

[Brian R. Paull]

This is a new condo. If the grade were excavated to below the top of the foundation wall where it should be, there would be a serious negative grade issue here. It is high enough that the power vent from the water heater is below grade with a small excavated area provided. That was written up too.

[Richard A. Hetzel]

It sounds like someone needs a little retaining wall and a yard drain, so they can lower the grade to where it's supposed to be, which is 8 inches below any wood framing, whether that framing is covered by bricks or not. It is possible, but not likely, that flexible flashing was used in the wall to protect the wood. If so, there would have been weep holes above grade. Since there are none, either the weep holes are buried, or they don't exist.

Incidentally, the flexible flashing should run down on to and over the lintel, to protect the steel lintel from standing moisture or water which may drain down behind the brick, or which may have penetrated the brick.

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Originally Posted by bpaull

This is a new condo. If the grade were excavated to below the top of the foundation wall where it should be, there would be a serious negative grade issue here. It is high enough that the power vent from the water heater is below grade with a small excavated area provided. That was written up too.

I think gas discharge needs to be 18 inches above ground in snow areas.