Lintel Repair

[NemesiS153]

Hi guys,

long time reader but first time poster so hello.

We are in the process of buying a 1960/70 house near Northampton. Older chap use to live there so lots of decor needs updating.

Now I have noted a number of cracks on the back wall 1st floor windows and the horizontal crack running between the 2 windows so i believe it may have a lintel problem.

I asked the surveyor to look into it and has suggested the lintel may be rusted or subject to expansion. Basically I wanted a second opinion and then what are my options?


Cheers

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• NemesiS153
• 11 Sep 2013
• 1

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• NemesiS153
• 11 Sep 2013
• 1

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• NemesiS153
• 11 Sep 2013
• 1

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• NemesiS153
• 11 Sep 2013
• 1

 

[Skimmers]

heli fix bars with resin you double up on the lengths goggle it they make up a new lintel above the old one.
then if you want to repoint the brickwork and patch cracks inside
or you to needle in the wall acro the inside and take out brickwork lay new cavity lintel and cavity trays then brick up

 

[NemesiS153]

thank for that, i have seen helifix bars before and i believe its a job i could do.

Only thing is, how does this work for the horizontal crack on the outside? Most of the helifix examples show vertical cracks with the bar stitching across. Would this still work?

 

[pinenot]

I don't see anything I would consider a lintel problem as such. Both cracks at the top corner reveals are normal and can be dismissed, the external pic shows a small drop of the brickwork between the two windows, if there's a lintel between these that in it's self is most unusual!
I would suggest you hack out and expose the internal crack to the right of the window in the pic, see if there's a problem there. Otherwise re-point the gap between that one small section (I presume it's the only one?) keep an eye on over a full year and see what movement, if any occurs.
Let us know what you find under that internal crack.
Are there any other odd symptoms that you can describe??...pinenot

 

[NemesiS153]

sounds like a good idea. will do that when i own the house

either way this wouldnt stop me buying. I have similar cracks on the other window in the pic but the one shown is the worst.

no other external cracks from what i can see. Only between the window. Nothing from the window to the roof...

Just wanted to check if i need to factor more money when we move in, already knocking a wall down

 

[pinenot]

Not in this area???

 

[^woody^]

heli fix bars with resin you double up on

Heli bars wont do jack for that type of horizontal cracking or movement

 

[^woody^]

Is not that clear, but the external image seems to show the wall above the crack projecting from that below

If so, there could be an issue with lack of bracing in the loft

I can't imagine that there would be one lintel all the way across both windows to cause that cracking due to corrosion. Unless it is some wacky construction

 

[pinenot]

I'm not seeing any protrusion of the bricks, but what I do think is that the brick course at the top of these windows has been increased up to make the correct height and left a wider than normal mortar joint which has failed somewhat. I know where your coming from woody, but at that angle it's a certainly not clear, however the OP would be best to check for that and let us know...pinenot

 

[dann09]

1.Is this a rear gable elevation ie. the brickwork goes up to a pediment point? Perhaps post a pic of the rear elevation?

2. There are a number of round holes bored at the perp to bed junctures, perhaps from:
a. previous investigations of the horizontal bed business?
b. opening up of suspected swollen cavity tie locations?
c. injection points for cavity insulation?

3. Overflow pipes project thro the brickwork indicating present or past tanks in the loft.

4. Maybe investigate in the loft area as indicated above.
If thought necessary, a camera can be dropped down an open cavity from the loft. ( A notion that i picked up on this forum>)

5. It appears that the PVC frames are "recent". Typically, one wouldn't replace frames with interior cracks present as in the pics. One would first sort the cracks.

6. You might hold fire on removing any interior wall until the above is sorted. Not that any of the above is serious but its best to deal with one thing at a time.

 

[NemesiS153]

thanks for all the reply’s guys, went round the house again last night, was only able to look round the back as the house was locked.

checked the crack and the whole wall is completely flat, not protrusion seen. Also as you said, there has been cavity wall insulation which I guess are the wholes you can see. The windows have been replaced, not sure of the age but they are a lot newer than the rest of the house

Here is the best pic I have of the back wall. Hope this shows what you described

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• NemesiS153
• 13 Sep 2013
• 1

 

[themiddleagedun]

I bet angle irons (L-shaped steel) have been used as lintels, and have rusted. The corrosion will lift and crack brickwork like you wouldn't believe!

 

[pinenot]

I would start by stripping the paint from that internal wall, it may just be de-lamination of the paint, curious though!, then re-point the course between the windows and keep an eye on it. But it would be worth asking the seller for their explanation, they may give a clue whether they mean it or not...pinenot

 

[stuart45]

I bet angle irons (L-shaped steel) have been used as lintels, and have rusted. The corrosion will lift and crack brickwork like you wouldn't believe!

I have seen that problem on a few jobs, where the irons had to be removed.
They were usually put in when the timbers frames were replaced with plastic.

 

[dann09]

My money would be on wall tie corrosion causing horizontal movement.

The internal damage corresponds with the outer level of damage.

In general, injecting cavity fill seems to make rusting and swollen ties worse, and can sometimes aid transmission of moisture across the cavity.

Perhaps, the base of the brick triangle is a "thermal trap" & thermal movement is also taking place with the seasons?

The unusual group of cavity injection holes is possibly connected with the above, but how, i dont know.

FWIW: the cavity injection holes have not been made good, this is not good practice.