A Look at the Lintel

What is a lintel? A lintel is most commonly recognized as a beam that spans across the top of the opening of a garage door, pedestrian door, or window. If your home has a window or door, you own a lintel. Like any part of your home, lintels require maintenance. If the brick wall above your garage door has cracks, or you notice a sagging lintel above a garage opening, it’s time for repair. This article will take a look at the lintel, the causes of lintel failure, and when to consider brick and lintel repair.

Lintels play a support role for your home. Unlike beams that help transfer heavier structural loads throughout the house from the ground up, the primary function of the lintel is slightly different. A lintel supports the brick or stone veneer above it by transferring the weight of the load to the side walls. So, cracked bricks above a garage lintel do not usually reveal the presence of a serious structural or foundation issue.

Causes of Lintel Failure

Cracks above a garage opening or cracks above windows point to a lintel in need of repair. Most of the time, lintels are made of steel, which can rust if not protected from moisture, but you will also see lintels made of concrete, wood, and other materials. All lintels require maintenance but eventually need repair when they have inadequate:

• Design
• Design loads
• Materials
• Installation
• Moisture control around opening
• Provisions to avoid movement

‍

Addressing the root cause of lintel failure should be the first step in correcting cracked brick above the lintel.

Once the lintel has been inspected, a brick and lintel repair company in Nashville can repair the lintel by installing components such as lag bolts and replacement brick if needed. At times, a full lintel replacement is needed, like on a rusted lintel, which is when you will want to reach out to a general contractor. But a lintel repair is generally an easy repair with fast, same-day results.

Lintel Repair vs. Replacement for Your Nashville Home

If you find yourself with cracked brick above the garage and a foundation repair company immediately suggests foundation settlement at the garage site, first seek out a second supporting opinion. If only the lintel needs repair, and piers are placed at the site, you can damage your foundation. Look for a horizontal crack in brick at the edge of the lintel, or adjacent to the lintel. Horizontal cracks near the lintel are a telltale sign of a damaged lintel in need of replacement by a general contractor and not foundation settlement.

Conversely, if you notice a sagging lintel above the window at your home, you will want to investigate the window structure further. Does the wood above the window drop without any cracks in the brick around the window? If so, it may be time for a general contractor in Nashville to complete a lintel replacement, window replacement, or structural wood repair. Do you have cracked brick above the windows or stairstep cracks in the brick nearby? You may have foundation settlement that a foundation repair company should inspect before repairing the lintels alone.

Lintel Repair

• Cracked bricks above garage
• Stairstep cracks above lintel
• Sagging lintel at top of garage opening
• Loose, noticeable movement of lintel

Lintel Replacement

• Horizontal cracks adjacent to lintel
• Rusted lintel
• Sagging window lintel

Foundation Repair

• Stairstep cracks near windows
• Other cracks in the brick. See Different Types of Cracks in Brick.

The good news is brick and lintel repair in Middle TN, Southern KY, and Northern AL, is a common, fairly simple repair that can be completed in a day by a local Nashville brick and lintel repair company like USS, who also specializes in foundation repair. If you are concerned with a sagging lintel or bricks cracking, call USS for a free thorough inspection. With over 28 years of experience our experts are here to help!