LINTEL REPAIRS & LINTEL REINFORCEMENT
A lintel is used over a door or window to hold up the wall above. Lintels are commonly made from steel, concrete, stone or wood. Lintels are almost always required, unless an arch is present. Many houses constructed with cavity walls did not have a lintel reinforcement in the outer leaf and the brickwork was supported by the load bearing window frame.
Lintel failure is a common problem in properties of all ages and all types of lintels. It is especially common in Victorian properties and can pose serious threat to safety. Brick Arch and Soldier course lintels in period properties can fail and sag causing the masonry above to drop and crack losing all structural integrity, over time will become worse and has the potential for collapse.
Lintel failure often appears after the replacement of windows and is caused by the removal of load bearing windows that are replaced with non-load bearing windows such uPVC causing failure. It is also common to have historic settlement of the lintel which may go un-noticed or not be deemed as a serious defect, which is often not the case.
SIGNS OF LINTEL FAILURE
Cracking to window lintels is a tell-tell sign of movement within a structure and shows that the lintel that supports the masonry above the window has failed. The threat of collapse is very real in many circumstances and a crack in the lintel should never be overlooked.
- Cracks in walls
- Cracks in bricks and masonry
- Gaps between floors, walls and ceiling
- Cracks above openings doors and windows
- Cracked moulding or architectural features
- Sticking of doors and windows
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM
The remedial lintel system involves cutting out the original mortar, placing stainless steel bars in position and then injecting a new resin and grout mortar; when cured this forms a supporting beam within the existing brickwork. These cut mortar joints are then re-pointed along with adjacent cracking to form an almost invisible repair.
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