helibars

[Dave2010]

guys,

if a house is to be repointed and there is a hairline step fracture above a ground floor window that has a wooden lintel, are helibars a recommended solution to repair?
If the house was to be sold and they picked up the wooden lintel would explaining they were installed matter?
3 builders never picked up on it, 1 did but said it wouldnt matter and is of no concern, and 1 did and mentioned these bars should be installed rather than replace lintel

Replacing lintel at this time is not an option

thanks

 

[^woody^]

No it's not a satisfactory alternative to replacing a timber lintel. And timber lintels with cracks or repair work above, will always be suspect on a survey

You can, in some cases reinforce the wall by installing bars across the complete width but this will need investigation to confirm if it is appropriate

 

[tony1851]

If they are only hairline cracks, and the lintel is in reasonable condition, it probably wouldn't be worth putting in helibars. Just consider re-pointing, at least for now.

 

[^woody^]

Yes repoint the crack, just so that it stands out even more, inviting the buyers surveyor to look a bit more closely at the timber lintels.

 

[tony1851]

Whatever.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You guys!

Take a leaf outta my book, you never see me arguing!

 

[^woody^]

You have no more leafs left in your book

 

[^woody^]

A hairline crack can be seen for what it is and comment made on that. There is also a possibility of a hairline crack not even being seen in the first place

A repointed crack can not be seen, but will be highlighted. The the reason for the repointing is not known, so must be assumed - and normally for the worst, especially if the repointing is recent

 

[TheVictorian]

Why not just pop a new lintle in? As cheap as helibars and resolves any questions that arise in the future.

I've had 10 helibars inserted in one wall of my house, but there was cracking from more substantial movement that occured decades ago and had been underpinned. Repointing would have fixed it just fine but while it was being doen I figured it wouldn't do any harm to add a little extra strength.

 

[tony1851]

We seem to be missing the point here.

The OP had written 'if a house is to be re-pointed'. If the whole wall is being re-pointed, attention would not - could not - be drawn to the area above the lintel and a surveyor would probably be none the wiser.

 

[Dave2010]

guys,

thanks for all the responses. Yes the whole house needs to be re-pointed so I understand that the crack may not be visible after the pointing. My concerns are that if nothing is done before the pointing would the crack reappear?
Or would you believe the lintel will have settled as much as it ever will?

Replacement is a nightmare for many reasons right now

Would a surveyor notice and raise alarm bells if they saw a a wooden lintel?

 

[tony1851]

Wood lintels used externally are not ideal, if only because of durability problems.
If they are shallow, they will inevitably bend, particularly over more than a short span. Whether yours will bend any more is anyone's guess.

If you point the whole wall, obviously the cracks will disappear: a surveyor may or may not pick up on the timber lintel. Some may feel obliged to at least note it in a survey report.

Ultimately, the best course is to put a proper lintel in but you have explained that is not an option at present; only you can decide on this.

 

[^woody^]

Movement cracks caused by timber lintels will always reappear. Random helibars will just mean that the movement cracks appear somewhere else

 

[tony1851]

Movement cracks caused by timber lintels will always reappear. Random helibars will just mean that the movement cracks appear somewhere else

Yes, absolutely 110% correct, and can't think why that never occured to me.
In fact, we have a timber lintel (lead covered) 6ft long over a rear window and boy does it crack the brickwork! I've pointed and re-pointed scores, nay, hundreds of times. Whatever I do, whatever I use, the cracks re-appear; fill one and two more appear. In fact, I now have to go out last thing every night, before locking up, to slap more mortar over the day's cracks. First thing next morning - there they are again - more f*****g cracks.They're driving me nuts. What should I do?

 

[^woody^]

Get a professional in to do it properly?