Chimney breast lintel - supporting weight?

[daveshammer]

I'm opening up the chimney breast, have been hacking off the plaster to get to the original builders opening. Got to the original lintel but one of the central bricks moved substantially as I was taking off the plaster. If this is taking the weight then I would have thought it would be under pressure and therefore shouldn't move.

The original opening has been bricked up with a new concrete lintel at a later date to accommodate (probably) a gas fire, but the new concrete lintel is only taking the weight of the newer bricks - there's a clear gap between the top of the newer brickwork and the bottom of the old lintel.

If I take out all the newer brickwork and concrete lintel, what's the best way of making sure the weight of the chimney breast is supported? Thanks for any suggestions.

Untitled

• daveshammer
• 15 Oct 2012
• 1

Untitled

• daveshammer
• 15 Oct 2012
• 1

Untitled

• daveshammer
• 15 Oct 2012
• 1

 

[daveshammer]

I know there are a lot of posts about this - and I've got some really useful info from reading them.

I guess the decision I'm trying to make that would benefit from a more experienced perspective is whether loose mortar on a couple of bricks in the arch necessitates installing a new lintel or whether repointing would be enough. Or is there more info I need about the state of the brickwork above the arch to make this call?

Thanks.