It’s quite probable that you don’t take a whole lot of notice of the lintels above the doors and windows in your home, but when any of them start to fail, you’ll certainly be aware of their existence.
When lintels fail and the problem isn’t addressed swiftly, it can go on to cause a variety of issues for your home, such as damp, failing timber, and more seriously, structural problems such as cracks in walls or sagging masonry.
What are some of the signs of lintel failure?
Found above doors and windows, lintels are beams designed to bear the weight of the above wall; displacing the weight lengthwise to prevent the cavity (door or window) from warping under the weight of the structure above. In essence, lintels are load bearing beams that keep your doors and windows in shape.
When a lintel begins to fail, you might notice the door or window starting to bow or warp, making them tricky to close and encouraging drafts. While a draft is a nuisance, it can also turn into a much more serious problem such as damp, woodworm, dry rot, bowed cavities and cracks.
If your home is old and you’re wondering if your lintels are in good order, or you’ve spotted a problem such as those mentioned above, it’s important that you seek professional help from a construction company specializing in lintel repairs at the earliest.
Can you repair lintels yourself?
No, absolutely not! Unless you know what you’re doing and are qualified in structural repairs, failing lintels is a problem that should always be addressed by a professional. Because you’re dealing with the wall around the cavity’s whole weight and integrity, and its balance will be dependent on your work, it’s best never to tackle lintel replacement yourself, and instead, leave it to the experts. Get it wrong, and your wall may not just bow, but warp and threaten your home’s structural integrity.
What else can go wrong when you tackle lintel failure yourself?
Using the wrong timber or other type of material for the lintel, for example, could mean that while it’s initially able to hold up the weight of the wall above the cavity, over time it may start to gradually bow over and cause all manner of problems that will likely be costly and inconvenient to fix.
You may also be inclined to believe that the failing lintel needs to be destroyed, when a timber or masonry specialist might be able to salvage it and save you a lot of hassle and money. Conversely, you might think that you can simply strengthen a failing lintel with wood glue and a piece of replacement timber, not knowing that deep down inside the heart of the existing timber, woodworm are at work.
Who should repair failing lintels?
An experienced and qualified construction company should be able to inspect your lintels and tell you whether they need to be replaced, and if so, they will go ahead and carry out the work safely and efficiently. While a structural engineer can be hired to inspect your home and its lintels, you’ll usually find that there are construction companies specializing in such repairs, and who will be able to handle the problem at far less of a cost.
So, while lintel replacement may not require a structural engineer per se, it is important that you seek help from a construction company qualified to make such inspections and repairs, otherwise you may end up in the same position as if you had repaired them yourself!