Lintel sealant question

[mthomas2 (Michael D. Thomas)]

1. Should this be sealed at the side?

2. Since there is no “manufactuer’s recommendation” as to sealant type, how are people here phrasing their recomendations for the material used at such junctions?

[mkyriacou (Mario Kyriacou, CHI)]

@mthomas2

1. Should this be sealed at the side?

2. Since there is no “manufactuer’s recommendation” as to sealant type, how are people here phrasing their recomendations for the material used at such junctions?

Michael

I have never seen this type of lintel used for a window or door.Having said that any type of sealent that remains soft year round would be good as a remedial fix.

Proper lintel should be an L shape and vertical should be in behind bricks and horizontal under bricks supporting them.Sorry I don’t have a picture.

[mthomas2 (Michael D. Thomas)]

Mario, thanks - I’ve never seen it done this way either, and IMO its certainly not “right”, and water standing on the upper surfaces of those lintels is always going to be a problem. But that said, what might I suggest (other than regular inspection, scraping and painting) to deal with it - it’s a bit late to improve the design or flashing details now.

It seems to me that you want to limit water contact with the lintel ends and water entry into the wall above the window via openings at the lintel ends, but at the same time you don’t want to to trap water behind bricks above the lintel or at its lower corners where it rests on the brick below. Here’s what’s happening currently:

[mkyriacou (Mario Kyriacou, CHI)]

@mthomas2

Mario, thanks - I’ve never seen it done this way either, and IMO its certainly not “right”, and water standing on the upper surfaces of those lintels is always going to be a problem. But that said, what might I suggest (other than regular inspection, scraping and painting) to deal with it - it’s a bit late to improve the design or flashing details now.

It seems to me that you want to limit water contact with the lintel ends and water entry into the wall above the window via openings at the lintel ends, but at the same time you don’t want to to trap water behind bricks above the lintel or at its lower corners where it rests on the brick below. Here’s what’s happening currently:

Michael

Just use a good exterior silicone sealent.MONO is a good product.

[mcyr (Marcel Cyr, CMI)]

I have to agree with Mario;

I have never seen this type of brick lintel before.

A c-channel was not designed for a lintel and this installation is allowing water intrusion behind the lintel, because it is protruding the face brick and it will find it’s way in the cavity and now wonder where the head flashing may be or does it exist at all.

Completly wrong all around. I would write this one hard.

Marcel