Installing or Repairing Window Lintel

When we talk about a lintel, we're talking about a horizontal structural support that's erected above windows and doors for supporting the load bearing structure above it. Lintels are composed of concrete, bricks, wood, or metal depending on the structural and aesthetic requirements of the building. Window lintels are crucial for reinforcing weaker spots in the brickwork and masonry, as well as supporting the wall where the window is installed. Ask a structural engineer for a right installation guide.

Failure of the Lintel

When load-bearing lintels are damaged, they must be repaired. Cracks in the stonework above the window in issue are frequently one of the first symptoms of a problem. A structural engineer should be consulted if you fear lintel failure. Lintel failure is typically discovered when replacing windows or upgrading to newer double-glazed windows.

Techniques of repair

Because the traditional method of lintel restoration is time-consuming and labor-intensive, there are now alternatives that have mostly superseded the older methods. The use of helical bars, fixes, and reinforcements is one of the most used procedures. These are simple to install and blend in with the masonry. These approaches save time and save the need for rebuilding, which is beneficial to landlords and municipalities. These solutions are more cost-effective and less disturbing to the homeowners.

The procedure

Instead of removing masonry and brickwork to repair a lintel, fixings, and reinforcements, as described above, allow the reinforcement to be fitted within the existing masonry. Of course, if a completely new lintel is wanted, this is a viable repair option, but it will create more disturbance and take longer. The first step in installing helical bars is to clean and clear out the slot in which they will be installed. The helical bar is then inserted after a particular anchor grout has been sprayed.

Finally, helical wall ties are arranged upright above the window in the brickwork, where appropriate, to increase the structural integrity of the lintel even further. There is no need to enter the building while using this method, which saves time and allows work to be done while inhabitants are away. Once the re-pointing work is completed, the quick installation is virtually invisible, leaving a very neat result that is more than capable of delivering the needed structural integrity at a fraction of the expense, time, and inconvenience of conventional lintel repair methods. See us at Ramjack by American Leveling for structural engineer in OKC.