Did you post this pricture of a deteriorating lintel?

Specific Inspection Topics Structural Inspections
21

Mr.Thomas.
I forgot about your pointing to a posable rusting.
Is there a lentel under the common bond course and atop the brick course layed ladderstack.
It might have been placed there to stiffen up the weak bonding.
I can not tell with the photo.
I have seen every example of stupid workmanship doing what I did and still do for a living only I am a 2 man show now.
I have learned to expect anything these days.

22

Robert I am in process right now but just came back from a building with interesting related issues.(will post in a bit)

Admit I am rushed to comprehend your above post but will read it again.
HOWEVER you are right that is not a rusted lintel under the sill as the discoloration and brick pattern looked to have be a old sleeve unit location on first glance.
One can see the water stains on both sides of the sill and I doubt anyone would argue this is not an water intrusion issue.:)(definite heaving from freeze /thaw cycles over time.

23

Thank you BOb.
I truely hope I explaned it corectly.
I to am rushed and try to post corectly.
I to will review and pratice my writing skills to make a better explanation.

24

I remain skeptical that what I’m seeing is not the result of a deteriorated lintel above an AC fill-in.

Per the NACHI image directory, that picture was uploaded on 10/20/2005.

The archive of pre 2006 posts is here:

http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/viewforum.php?f=11

however, the search function appears to be broken…

25

I do not understand the lentil problem for I do not see one in the photo.
You could be right that the lentil has problems but I can not see it to define to problem.
What is posted is window sill installed in 3 pieces and should be installed 1 piece ‘’ if possible’'.
3 pieces 4 butt joints ready to fail under pressure.

26

Another point Michel is if the lentil was having issues you would see the side wall brick waver on the plumb at the opening. windows layout.
The brick corners running strait down the inside edge of the window would not be straight and there would be budging on the wall field and the plumb bricks corners on the inside edge of the opening would appear wavy or uneven.
There might be, but no reference to it was submitted.
You also posted pictures of work under construction.
Block work and the metal over the opening is not a lentil its a header '‘H beam’‘from what I see for I could not zoom in on it. Might be refereed to as a lentil but to me its a header.I could be wrong.
A lentil made of iron or metal would have a L shape.
2/4,2/3, 3/4 3/5 and so on.they are also made of other materials. mostly stone or cement cast.
They would be solid and large in dimension and match the brick size in width.like a sill only much higher and longer in length by the ability to cover the opening by 4 inches on both ends ‘‘minimum’’.Or half the bricks length.’'should be more I have seen to much failure.I go 3/4 brick length andsome times more…
I hope I am making myself clear.
Look to any English reference to brick work through goggle.
The English are best suited to learn from being the biggest users of masonry and masonry product.
The Irish bricklayers built the major cities on the eastern side of North America.
They were the bricklayer the 1850,s to late 1930,s and where the biggest immigrant brick labor force up the eastern seaboard .

27

I was submitting that I took a closer look at the area in question and what looked like rusted metal was just shadowing.
You need a lot more than writing skills buddy.
Was trying to be nice but your post seems to assume this is a brick veneer exterior wall when anyone can see it is not brick veneer.I would have made it private but you have turned off ability to receive private messages leading me to think you get lots of angry comments.
You are not Linus, so stop trying to imitate some one else.
Hard to respect a Jacka-s.

28

OK, found the original post:

http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/viewtopic.php?t=16410

Given that there is extensive oxide jacking at the lintels above windows, and taking a close look at the openings below both cracking sills, it still seems to me that it’s much more likely we are looking at oxide jacking at rusting lintels above closed-in AC openings than freeze/thaw jacking due to water intrusion at the windows:

29

I e-mailed the OP, hopefully they will be along to clarify the cause of the lifted sills.

30

Notice the window has a fan rather than the casement A/C unit here where the heaving is viewed at the sill.(different window)

31

Thanks Michael.
Now we are on chimerical or large scale. Different all together from residential…
I will get back as soon as I can.
Fixing my PC that I am on now.
Have work on buildings like this years ago and was not taught specifics about the concept of large loads as in Fields of brick that scale. This big.
I was managing setup and labors 24 years ago.
Thanks again talk soon.
Let me dig a bit.

32

This was a building that I inspected several years ago. The steel support beams were heavily corroded and had expanded to several times their original size, which caused upward pressure on the brick work. I am sure water intrusion freezing and thawing did not help either. I found one apartment unit that the walls were torn out, and was able to see the beams from the back side. If I can find those pictures I will post them. Thanks for the memories :smiley:

33

Cool I would love to see them as we all would.

34

These are the pictures from yesterdays FEEMA inspection.
I was shocked at the displacement all over this building complex from lack of flashing ,downspout placement,ac units not sealed and poor roofing.
It shows how problems develop over time from more than one issue.
looking at that casement you can see why I figured the other one would cause problems also from the original post.
This is a 2 story duplex building.
[ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH]

4808-casement [1024x768].jpg
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4808-ac-sleeve [1024x768].jpg
4808-ac-sleeve [1024x768].jpg800×600 50.3 KB

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4808-1 [1024x768].jpg
4808-1 [1024x768].jpg800×600 71.8 KB

35

What is FEEMA BOB?
I am in Montreal Quebec and nor familiar with that organization.
Are they out to help flood victims and hurricane disaster families.
As a first response to shelter and food.
Yes that residential building was built bad from what I see and maybe underlying ground issues aiding in the movement.
Clay, lack of drainage, pyrite.

36

Someone please explain to me why my post are coming back to me over and over again.
I will post my problem on the message board.

37

OK I am going to come in and hopefully explain myself with out putting my foot in-my mouth.
The information I am giving you was passed to me through learning by piratical not theory.
> Observation and explanation from foreman and lead Masons as I learned all my life.
>ON THE JOB TRAINING.
>I have seen similar problems and asked why.
!> look at parapet wall and roof’s copping.
I surmise that weather interned the wall through copping and flashing and roof flashing mostly and caused lateral pressures on parapet as frost built up.
There was also a lot going on for as you mentioned the lentils swelled applying uplift and movement from expansion or contraction of the brick field all lead to what problems you are looking at.
I am just observing the photo for what I think is an answer and please there are others that have more to contribute besides myself.
I do not pin point 1 particular weak link in the chain so to speak but several factors combined to allow this much damage to take place.
I will state that proper maintenance would have controlled the erosion.
A manageable yearly or biyearly or even every 4years to inspect and repair the problems.
It would control large events such as this from happening and aid the building exterior to stop it (the cracking, shifting, uplift, movement dead in its tracks or at the very least slow down the erosion…

38

Mr.Thomas.
I forgot to mention ,windows the weakest link in the chain on brick veneer walls.
After copping .FOR ME.
I will post last years example of an estimate I preformed.
Look at all,all the windows in the building.
Look for any and all openings.
Does not matter how small the opening and pay attention to the ‘‘upper part’’ of the frame please and go out side with good binauculars and look at all lentals for any breakage or missing masonary were the lintil sits on the brick 4 inches or maybe more.
Just an idea.
If you do not get back to me its OK but please post your findings for all…
>caulk that has shrank, caulk that has cracked etc. look at windows with a fine tooth comb so to speak.
The weather enters the wall cavity through openings in any way it can enter.
In the winter the inside being warm out side being cold the weather (air) that has entered goes up the walls cavity being drafted by the warn inside wall.
The cold brick surface attracts the moisture in the humid air and attaches itself to the bricks surface and frost forms.
It goes trough cycles of thaw and freeze all winter long and expands the brick and breaks down the nail for the ties or even the ties themselves depending what they are made-of.
So please pay attention to the windows for I have seen brick field repaired only to have it break down again shortly after with the owner not knowing why.
An engineer could not explain why only how to repair.
But a window installer and mason told her and explained the process to her and I was on the money in that case.
It causes havoc inside the walls cavity. breaking down brick pins or anchors (wall ties) nails what ever you want to call them.
I can not tell you if you need an engineer but a good chimerical building inspector would give you a good heads up.
Good luck and if you can post total pictures of the building-north-east-West-and South I would-love to take a look.