Lintel Repairs
Common Lintel Problems
Most people associate damaged lintels with older homes, but nowadays we replace lintels on houses as new as two years old. The reason for this is that new homes are often built without any flashing or the flashing is too thin above openings in brickwork or it’s installed wrong. This allows moisture to rust unprotected steel lintel which in turn cracks the brickwork and mortar joints. The longer the rusted lintels are in place the more damage it causes to the brickwork resulting in higher cost of repair. Another common problem with lintels above garage doors and with openings more than six feet wide is that the steel angle iron (lintels) are too narrow in width and thickness and are not bolted to the headers (wood framing). This causes sagging and then cracking in the brickwork. Whatever amount of rust you see on the lintel, it’s five times worse behind the brickwork.
Rusted and Unbolted Lintel
Friendswood, Texas
This home in Friendswood,Tx showed rusted and unbolted lintels that will cause the brickwork to crack. If corrected early, it can be repaired without taking down the whole gable of brickwork. If let go, the whole gable will have to be taken down, which usually triples the repair cost. The house below was only seven years old.
Lintel Repair
Rusted & Unbolted Lintel
Other Side Of Damaged Lintel
Rusted Steel Lintel After Exposing
Shoring Poles Holding Up Brickwork, Above Through The Wall Flashing With Termination Bar
Completed Project
Rusted Lintel Damaged Bricks
League City, Texas
This is a very common repair where there was a small amount of brickwork between windows. There was no flashing and the lentils were not galvanized. For most of the lintel jobs like this, we are called because moisture was leaking in every time it rains.
Garage Door Lintels
Garage door lintels are one of our most popular repairs.
- REASON 1 Lintel is too small 3×3 inch its not bolted to header
- REASON 2: There is no through the wall flashing causing lintel to rust and expand.
- Reason 3: if the brick work continues on up to the gable or to a second floor and gable. If not repaired eventually all the brick work will have to be rebuilt.
Arched Window Lintel
This Friendswood arched window leaked since home was built in 2018. Builder tried to fix putting new mortar on top of old caulk sealer more caulk. We repaired it by having a custom arched lintel fabricated then galvanized. Installed shoring poles to support stone work remove stone repair exterior sheeting install arched lintel through the wall rubber flashing rebuild stone work remove shoring clean and caulk.
