What is causing these cracks?

[Mr Worry]

Hi there,
Moved into a 1940s property 2 years ago. Survey said there was some cracking evident that appeared to be due to defective lintel.

We have now got round to getting this fixed but one builder is telling me it's indeed the lintel and another doesn't think it is and could be no longer active subsidence or ongoing (I am unsure if cracking is worse).

Do I need to worry about the stepped cracking to the right of the window/lintel or the horizontal cracking to the left of the window as seen in the photos?

The cement looks a bit in bad shape regardless and poss in need of repointing but the stepped crack a foot to the right of the window and the continuous horizontal cracking to the left is concerning me. Is this the lintel or something more serious?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Not an expert, but I cannot see anything like any cracks. I can see some poor pointing, either side of the window, perhaps where brickwork was disturbed when that DG unit was installed.

I doubt such a short lintel could break as would be installed over that window opening.

 

[Mr Worry]

Thanks for your input. Much appreciated. In line with the poor pointing on the right side of the window if you look further to the right you will see some minor cracking that steps downwards.

To the immediate left of the poor pointing on the left, you will see there is a horizontal crack along the mortar line (sorry I know the pics aren't the best). Have just uploaded another pic and circled the cracking.

 

[^woody^]

What's the crack?

 

[Mr Worry]

There is a small separation between the mortar and the brick running horizontally to the left of the window in line with the top of the window where the poor pointing is. There is also some step cracking following the mortar lines to the right of the window. Again it starts in line with the top of the window, about a foot to the right of the poor pointing as seen in the red circle I drew. Hope this helps.
Sorry you may need to zoom in on the pictures to see the cracks.

 

[^woody^]

What's happened to the window lintel? Look like it has rusted and expanded and the joints filled. Are the other lintels the same?

Are there any other horizontal cracks on the elevation? If so, regularly spaced?

The wall around the windows seems damp. Are the gutters leaking?

Does that cracking near the corner extend around the corner and along?

 

[Mr Worry]

Thanks for coming back to me. The window was like that before we moved in so not sure sure what the previous owners did. The other windows seem okay.

The horizontal crack carries on round the corner then stops where the porch meets the main building. Have attached a couple more images showing this.

The gutter are getting on a bit but they don't seem to be leaking as far as I know.

Cannot see any other horizontal cracks, just a bit on the corner 4 rows of bricks up.

 

[jeds]

Looks more like wall tie rust to me. A lintel would lift brickwork like that but there wouldn't be a lintel around that corner?

 

[Mr Worry]

Hard to see from the images but the horizontal crack that originates from the lintel is the same one that continues around the corner. Assume the crack from the rusted lintel will simply just do this and carry on round the corner as once it reaches the corner it has nowhere else to go?

 

[jeds]

OK, it's the lintel then. Rusting steel will easily lift the entire elevation of a house including the roof. Only remedy is to cut it out. I'd take a few bricks out and investigate the end of the lintel. You'll soon see if that's the problem.

 

[^woody^]

Yes, you can see the lintel is blown above the frame and those two bearing bricks have lifted and bearing joint filled.

Probably best to get that joint filled and let it go off before having the lintel taken out and replaced.

 

[Mr Worry]

Thank you both so much for taking the time to respond. Much appreciated.