Lintels are a key structural component in any building. From residential properties to high-rise skyscrapers, lintels are essential to preserving the structure of a building no matter its size. From securing doorways to preventing window collapse, linters serve an essential function.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the early signs of lintel damage, why it happens, and when professional intervention is required.
What is a Lintel?
A lintel is a horizontal beam set into the brick above an opening in the wall, usually a window or a door. Lintels can be made of many different materials, such as timber, stone, concrete or steel.
Lintels are installed as a load-bearing measure, ensuring that a window or door frame doesn’t hold the full weight of the wall above and around it. When a lintel isn’t present, you’ll often find damage or warping to these frames due to the added pressure and weight on them. Our previous blog ‘What is a Lintel and What Are the Different Types of Lintels?‘ goes into further detail about the types of lintel you might have in your property.
What are the First Signs of Lintel Damage?
You should look out for the following tell-tale signs of lintel damage:
- Cracking or warping of the lintel or the surrounding plaster or masonry
- On a wood lintel, cuboid cracking, fungal build-up or the presence of flight holes might indicate rot or woodworm issues.
- On a steel lintel, corrosion or rust stains on the surface of the lintel or surrounding wall.
- Hygroscopic salt build-up, often as a thin white layer on the surface of the lintel or surrounding wall.
How Does a Lintel Become Damaged?
A lintel can become damaged for several reasons. Here are just a few of the more common ones:
Penetrating Damp
This is where a defect allows water to ingress into a property. Windows and external doors are a prime example of penetrating damp, as something as simple as a faulty seal can allow water to permeate and spread around the frame and into the interior wall. High moisture content can help create the ideal environment for a lintel to rot, crack, or corrode, depending on the materials used.
Wet or Dry Rot
This concern is isolated to wooden lintels, as fungal decay only feeds from timber. Some hardier fungal infestations like Dry Rot can grow on the surface of stone and concrete to find new moisture-rich timbers to feed from.
Woodworm
This is a collective term for a series of wood-boring insects and weevils This is again isolated to timber lintels, where the larvae live in and feed from the wood over several years prior to emerging to mate.
Building or Material Defects
A lintel of any material is subject to defects. Incorrect installation, faulty materials, or damage from accidents are all valid reasons why a lintel might fail. It might also not be the lintel itself, but a defect in the wall above or below the lintel that creates the opportunity for lintel failure.
Structural Movement
Subsidence or inadequate bracing during renovation work may cause flexing in the building, which can cause walls or lintels to crack under the strain.
Is Lintel Damage Serious?
Yes, leaving lintels in a damaged state will lead to structural weakness in the rest of the wall. Lintel failures could lead to warping or damage to the surrounding window and door frames. They also have a compounding effect, as gravitational and weight pressure increases the strain on other areas of the wall. In the most serious cases, they can also lead to a wall collapsing entirely.
How Do I Repair a Lintel?
You should always seek the opinion of a specialist property maintenance firm or building contractor prior to conducting work on any area of your home, including your lintels. You can request a survey to have one of our specialist surveyors attend and diagnose your property.
There are a few things you can do to repair or replace a lintel, depending on the material it’s made of:
- Timber: You can treat some rot and woodworm issues with specialist fungicidal or insecticidal solutions, respectively. If a rot or woodworm issue has been persisting for some time, the integrity of the lintel might be in question and replacement may be required.
- Stone or Concrete: Depending on the severity of the crack, it may be possible to stabilise the lintel with helical bars, ensuring that future cracking is limited. It is also possible to use a mortar or grout injection to restore structural integrity in the lintel. In cases of serious cracking, it may be necessary to remove the cracked material entirely and replace it.
- Steel: Corrosion can sometimes be cleaned off and re-coated with a moisture-resistant coating to restore the face of the lintel. In serious cases, completely replacement of the lintel is required.
Conclusion
Lintel damage can present for any reason. From structural defects to incorrect installation, lintels are at the same risks as many other building materials. You should periodically check your lintels and the surrounding walls for cracking, rust spots, or fungal decay to ensure they do not lose their structural integrity. Failure to repair or replace lintels could result in cracks, cracking or warping of door and window frames, or in serious cases the collapse of masonry.
FAQs
How do I Spot Lintel Damage?
You should look for damage to the lintel itself and the surrounding wall, both inside and outside of the property. Check for cracks around doors and windows, loose or cracking masonry and mortar, or moisture/rust staining on walls.
Will Lintel Repairs Disrupt Building Use?
As with most building projects, specialists will conduct repairs with minimal disruption. In cases where a lintel is in an area of high throughput (such as the entrance to a building), alternate access and correct containment of the area is necessary to ensure the risk of injury is reduced while structural work is completed.
Can I Repair Lintels in Listed Buildings?
Yes, it is possible to repair or replace a lintel in any building, regardless or age or heritage. Timberwise works alongside property trusts to ensure that conservation issues are discussed prior to work commencing, and that the techniques and materials used are as close as possible to those used in the building during its original construction.
How Long do Lintel Repairs Last?
When repaired or replaced correctly by a qualified specialist, lintels can last decades. Periodic property checks will help you to identify lintel damage before it becomes dangerous, and regular maintenance will ensure the longevity of your lintels.
