Any structure with lintels professionally installed is likely to last a lot longer than one without them installed, and they can help buildings of all shapes and sizes maintain their structural integrity for many years. If you’re having a home or commercial property built for you, your construction contractor will likely be planning to insert lintels throughout. And while plenty of structures don’t have lintels installed, those that are big or which have foundations designed to support a significant weight, would almost certainly benefit from their installation at the point of construction.
That said, despite their durability and strength – as with any other structural installation – lintels can fail from time to time, and require expert help to repair and restore them, especially if they were originally installed on a building some decades ago.
While age can have a very definite impact on the endurance of lintels, here are 4 other factors that may contribute to their failure:
- Moisture exposure
As with many materials used in construction, moisture can cause all manner of problems, and when a lintel has been placed somewhere in which it may be regularly exposed to moisture, this could, over time, cause the lintel to disintegrate or rot, as is often the case with lintels made from wood.
2. Movements in a structure
Often completely natural and totally unavoidable, particularly in older buildings, structural movements may eventually cause those parts of a building unable to support itself, to sag or drop. This can then lead to the foundation becoming uneven, and damage occurring to lintels. While these changes aren’t always noticeable and typically take place over a significant period of time, regular structural assessments can help prevent the problem from worsening.
3. Replacements of doors and windows
Even if the windows or doors in a building are replaced professionally, it can still cause lintels to fail and require attention from an experienced construction company. In some instances, doors and windows are designed to be able to fully support any weight from above, and when they’re removed, this can place undue strain upon any existing lintels, especially if replacement doors and/or windows aren’t sturdy enough.
However, this problem is usually confined to older buildings that have remodeling or renovation work carried out on them.
4. Corrosion
Depending on what material a lintel has been constructed from, corrosion may take place that can cause it to fail over time. Steel lintels, for example, while designed not to rust as easily or quickly, are not totally impervious to corrosion, particularly when exposed to moisture on a regular basis. While steel lintels might be suitable for your construction project, it’s always worth checking with a local contractor to see what their advice would be given their knowledge of the local climate, and of building structures in general.
Whether you’re having a new building constructed and want some advice on how to help maintain its structural integrity for many years to come, or whether you own an older building and would like to have its lintels assessed for signs of damage, a professional construction contractor will be able to guide you.