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.