I've just moved to a 3 bed semi house, built in 1963, which has a lintel problem. There is visible cracking both on the outside and inside of the property around the lintels above all the windows. The survey said that the problem is due to thermal movement of the lintels. The survey said that there is no evidence to suggest that the movement is ongoing, but the lintels may be of a type which will continue to cause cracking and may in time cause more serious failure.
Now I can't face replacing all the lintels and was hoping to just fill in the cracks and hope that there was no more movement. However, every morning, for about 2 hours, a sort of metallic pinging noise emanates from the lintel area above the upstairs windows. At first I thought it was a waterpipe or guttering noise but the more I listen the more I'm sure the noise is coming from the lintels. I think it is the lintels expanding in the early morning sun. The pinging noise happens every couple of minutes. Does anybody have any views on this, has anyone every heard of lintels making this noise as they expand, and does anyone have any idea how much a builder would charge to replace 6 window lintels?
Now I can't face replacing all the lintels and was hoping to just fill in the cracks and hope that there was no more movement. However, every morning, for about 2 hours, a sort of metallic pinging noise emanates from the lintel area above the upstairs windows. At first I thought it was a waterpipe or guttering noise but the more I listen the more I'm sure the noise is coming from the lintels. I think it is the lintels expanding in the early morning sun. The pinging noise happens every couple of minutes. Does anybody have any views on this, has anyone every heard of lintels making this noise as they expand, and does anyone have any idea how much a builder would charge to replace 6 window lintels?
