Max Air Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 Doing an inspection for a commercial building in Chicago area and have a question regarding warping of the lintels. While doing the inspection I noted the lintels are corroded at areas and have warping along the front edge. There really isn't a lot of brick/mortar damage, but the warping is pretty obvious. There are no weeps above the lintels but I'm pretty sure they flashed the window openings. Building was built around '86-'87 and windows are original. There is flashing at foundation walls and between cmu walls and brick veneer so I would think they flashed above the windows. Material above the lintels is mortar that has been painted (it's not sealant). The openings range from 7.5' to 17.5' in width but the warping was at pretty much every opening. I've never seen consistent warping throughout the length of a lintel quite like this. I usually see deflection that is generally greatest at the center of the span. There is obviously some expansion from corrosion, but is it possible that freeze/thaw on top of the lintel would cause warping like this or is it just from corrosion? Thanks for any input. Click to Enlarge 48.66 KB Download Attachment: DSC00078.JPG 117.54 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence McCann Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 The way the bricks are installed it looks like it was bent from the get-go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 Terry are we gonna keep this avatar for a while, or do we need to get you some help?[:-dev3] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 They fell off the truck on the way to the jobsite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence McCann Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 Terry are we gonna keep this avatar for a while, or do we need to get you some help?[:-dev3] I'm way past help Tom. I saw redemption in my rearview mirror about 500 miles back that-a-way. On a side note Iron Fireman was built here in Cleveland for a spell. I remember passing the factory, with my father, from time to time. It's a neat logo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 My guess is thin crap POS steel. Why do you think there's flashing? I'd bet a tooth there's no flashing; maybe a scrap of garbage bag stuff stuffed in there someplace, but nothing that's going to work. And, it's an '86-'87 building. Those are usually the worst. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgbinspect Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 There really isn't a lot of brick/mortar damage, but the warping is pretty obvious.... ...I've never seen consistent warping throughout the length of a lintel quite like this. I usually see deflection that is generally greatest at the center of the span. There is obviously some expansion from corrosion, but is it possible that freeze/thaw on top of the lintel would cause warping like this or is it just from corrosion? Thanks for any input. Could it be plate steel hung from I-Beams? We used to work with that detail all the time on commercial work and schools. If so, a connecting plate would be welded to the hung-plate and the bottom flange of the beam every 16" O. C. to make installing masonry easy. The plate would be down approximately one to two courses of brick from the beam, again to make installing the masonry easy. The real tip-off will be that the plate won't bear into the masonry - the beam will two courses of brick above, so the plate will be obviously hanging. You'd have to look close, though because the plate will usually only be about .25" shorter than the whole opening, which means the gaps will be about .125" per end. Don't ask me why, but flashing was never called for in that detail. (It was over steel angles, but not steel plates.) In fact, it would be VERY hard to flash that affair with all those connecting plates. Maybe that's why they didn't bother. At any rate, if the warping is about every 16", that's my guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 Terry are we gonna keep this avatar for a while, or do we need to get you some help?[:-dev3] I'm way past help Tom. I saw redemption in my rearview mirror about 500 miles back that-a-way. On a side note Iron Fireman was built here in Cleveland for a spell. I remember passing the factory, with my father, from time to time. It's a neat logo. That'd be DeLuxe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Air Posted January 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Thanks for the replies. mgbinspect I think you've nailed it. I checked some additional photos and there appears to be connections at about 16" centers. (Bricks are 12"x4"). The lintels are also not bearing at the ends so it looks like they are hanging. I appreciate your help. This site is great. Click to Enlarge 61.86 KB Click to Enlarge 62.72 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgbinspect Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Glad to be of service! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.