Construction is a difficult industry that necessitates meticulous attention to several small aspects in order to ensure building safety, cost effectiveness, and aesthetic appeal. Unfortunately, no matter how well your home was planned and built, you can eventually notice a crack due to a variety of reasons such as environmental pressures, internal leaks, and so on.
You may be able to put off your home renovation for a few months to avoid the costs and time commitment, but you will eventually need to spend a significant amount of capital, time, and energy to restore your house. As a result, it is still a good idea to keep track of small maintenance requirements and get them addressed as soon as possible in order to extend the life of the house.
Lintels are one of the most important sources of problems in any structure. Lintels are horizontal beams used to form a canopy over roads. Lintels can break for a variety of reasons, including ageing, weather-related rusting and corrosion, heat-related expansions, and installation or material selection issues.
Whatever the cause, lintel replacement is the cure. Lintels can be made out of a wide range of materials. – of these materials has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, so it’s critical to choose the best ones to ensure your property’s longevity and aesthetic balance. There are many types of lintels from which to choose for your home.
1. Lintels made of reinforced cement concrete
Reinforced Cement Concrete Lintels are among the best lintels in terms of opening span stability, ease of use, reliability, resilience, fire resistance, water resistance, toughness, and cost. As a result, they are one of the most often used lintels. Overhead cavity walls, reinforced cement concrete boot lintels are also popular. They are most often used on side roads where they allow for water to drain below the concrete.
2. Lintels made of wood
Timber lintels were once very popular in older buildings, but they have increasingly been replaced by more modern equivalents. Nonetheless, they are also used in hilly terrains. Although timber lintels are attractive from an architectural standpoint, they are expensive and have a short lifespan. Because of their ability to conduct heat, they are also a fire threat. Where the wooden lintels aren’t strong enough to carry the whole load, additional support is needed. They are sandwiched between steel plates to provide protection in these situations.
3. Lintels made of stone
Stone lintels are one of the most common styles of lintels because they are readily available in many areas and are a low-cost option with a lot of aesthetic appeal. Stone lintels, on the other hand, have low stability and are therefore more vulnerable to cracking, particularly when subjected to higher vibratory loads.
4. Lintels made of brick
Brick lintels are typically found in areas with narrow gaps. They are mostly low to medium priced and have a pleasant view of the house.
5. Lintels made of steel
Steel lintels are often used and are suitable for buildings that must withstand extremely high loads. They are not only less expensive, but they still last longer. If there is a problem with heat and humidity in the region, steel could be more vulnerable to expansion, rusting, and corrosion.