The structure supporting the brick or stone around your garage door is called the lintel, a steel frame that can become corroded over the years. This can be a dangerous situation, compromising the structure of the frame that holds your heavy garage door in place. Older garages can be susceptible to lintel damage and may need this structure replaced to prevent collapse.
Signs that your garage door lintel may need replacement can include:
The garage door lintel is usually a steel beam that goes across the top of the door. The most common place for corrosion or weakness is in the middle of the door, where the least amount of support is located. Not only does the beam need replacement, but the bricks or stone and the material between the lintel and exterior surface will need to be redone.
Lintel damage occurs form water and weather deterioration over the years. Rust and corrosion can occur, leaving your garage door susceptible to weakness. At the first signs of any underlying issues, you should call a masonry expert to examine your garage and determine whether a lintel replacement is needed.
Replacing the lintel on your garage door is a complicated process that should be left to the professionals. Your garage door can weigh several hundred pounds and will need removal before the lintel can be accessed and replaced. Once the interior structure is fixed, you will need new brick or stone to frame in your garage, requiring the expertise of an experienced masonry service. Find a local masonry company that offers lintel and masonry work to restore your old garage to last many more decades.
Posted on behalf of:
Anglin’s Foundation & Masonry Repairs
1027 Oregon Trail
Marietta, GA 30008
(770) 422-2924
Behind the exterior of a brick garage lies the frame work that holds the masonry and structure in place. One of these crucial elements is the lintel, the steel support that spans across the top of the garage door. This steel can become rusted and begin to sag and bend due to water penetration under the bricks. This damage to lintels can put the structural integrity of the garage, especially the doors, in danger, causing a hazardous condition.
Once there is lintel damage, the garage door openings can begin to shift. In many cases, the garage doors will begin to lean or sag, causing dysfunction when they open and close. The danger is that the change in the underlying structure could cause the doors to fall or drop unexpectedly, or the entire opening could crumble. This could cause damage to vehicles, or worse, cause a severe injury to someone walking through the garage opening when it fails.
Although lintel repair is usually needed in older brick garages, it is not always age that causes the problem. Poor flashing and other construction issues when assembling the garage can lead to premature lintel failure. The first signs of issues with lintels in garages is usually cracks or shifting of the bricks above the garage doors or windows.
At the first sign of lintel damage on your brick garage, call a masonry specialist to inspect your garage door. Although lintel repair does require weeks to be completed correctly, if performed by a masonry specialist, it can last a lifetime. Most lintels need to be repaired due to lack of insulation on the steel or other issues that can be eliminated permanently with a professional masonry repair.
Posted on behalf of:
Anglin’s Foundation & Masonry Repairs
Marietta, GA
(770) 422-2924
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