diagonal cracks above patio door

[Rrreginald]

Hi all, I'd like some advice on a problem I'm having, see pic below.

The house is a 1930s semi. There's a diagonal crack on the right hand side above the soldier course and one on the left hand side which was repointed some time in the past. What should I do about this ? Not keen on just repointing for it to possibly crack again in the future.

I'm thinking to insert some retrofit wall ties through the soldier course, then repoint. Is this a good idea ?

Not sure how the wall is supported above the opening but i guess there is a concrete lintel for the inner wall with wall ties to the vertical bricks, which must have rusted/snapped. I can't see any sign of a steel lintel and also the middle 3 vertical bricks have slightly sagged so I'm thinking there can't be a lintel underneath the soldier course. Should I get a structural engineer to have a look at this ?

 

[simonjay]

The house is a 1930s semi. There's a diagonal crack on the right hand side above the soldier course and one on the left hand side which was repointed some time in the past. What should I do about this ? Not keen on just repointing for it to possibly crack again in the future.

I'm thinking to insert some retrofit wall ties through the soldier course, then repoint. Is this a good idea ?

Not sure how the wall is supported above the opening but i guess there is a concrete lintel for the inner wall with wall ties to the vertical bricks, which must have rusted/snapped. I can't see any sign of a steel lintel and also the middle 3 vertical bricks have slightly sagged so I'm thinking there can't be a lintel underneath the soldier course. Should I get a structural engineer to have a look at this ?

Its obviously dropped a bit above the door as you have noted, which can only be due to lack of support. There may have originally been a timber window or door there that did offer enough support. Often those type of soldier courses relied on this, and some arching due to build in compression as they were laid. Also, there was an old system that had metal hooks from the internal lintel into the soldier course, but I don't think they were used for cavity walls.
If there is no lintel and the PVC window is not suitably reinforced, it can continue to sag for years and the crack reopen after repointing.
Eventually the doors will jam.

Wall ties original or retrofitted will not be sufficient to stop this since they are at the wrong angle.

You can get crack stitching kits (helifix ?) to lock bricks into a "lintel" but they are not really suitable for a soldier course - they are used to lock 3 courses of bricks together. You could use something like this above the soldier course to help with the problem.

But I suspect the real solution is a specially reinforced PVC door or a proper lintel (some type of heavy duty 'L').

Simon.

 

[^woody^]

There is no lintel on the outer skin of bricks. Insertion of a lintel is the only remedy

 

[Rrreginald]

thanks, yes looks like I'll have to put an L shape lintel in the end.

Is it possible though that the concrete lintel for the inner skin has an L shape so that it has a lip flush with the vertical bricks. Then inserting wall ties should be good enough ? I guess I'll just have to drill a hole or two to find out for sure but if this method is good enough I'd much rather do this.

 

[Rrreginald]

Is it possible though that the concrete lintel for the inner skin has an L shape so that it has a lip flush with the vertical bricks.

No such thing, definitely lintel is the way to go. Any ideas what this job should cost ? I guess 2 days work would be about right ?