One of the things that I check on the exterior inspection of masonry structures is the lintels. They're the part of the structure that keeps the brick from falling into the space created by the windows and doors. Lintels are usually made of steel, though they can also be stone, concrete, or wood.
As a building material, brick works very well in compression, but poorly in tension. To put it another way, you can't just hang the bricks together using mortar; if they're spanning an open space they need to have something supporting them. Another way to support masonry across an opening is with an arch. Lintels are more common than arches in modern construction.
Service life While there are many inspector's "rules of thumb" to predict the given lifespan of different components, I am not aware of any such guidelines for predicting lintel service life. The only article I found regarding lifespan was an industry article describing the difficulties of casting an accurate prediction. Each building needs to be individually evaluated; age is not the only factor to consider.
Maintenance considerations Lintels should be kept free of rust. In new construction, the lintels should be well-primed with a rust inhibitor prior to the addition of flashing and bricks. Weep wicks should be present, and a small "skirt" of flashing should be visible beyond the lintel. It is imperative that the space between the brick and the lintel is NOT sealed with caulk or mortar. All masonry, to a certain extent, is water-permeable. Caulking the lintel closes the drainage plane, and can trap water inside the walls, leading to interior water damage and premature deterioration of the lintel.
Lintels expand when they rust. A rusting lintel typically pushes the bricks apart in a characteristic zig-zag pattern, up and away from the corners of opening. When the damage is advanced, you can see the whole lintel flaking apart. When excessive cracking and flaking is observed, it's time to call in a licensed masonry contractor for lintel replacement.
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