Caulking Lintels?
We have water coming into the area above the windows in one apartment. At some point the outside lintel was caulked but there are gaps in the caulk and some of it is loose. I’ve had two contractors come to look at the issue. One guy says the lintel should never be caulked and the caulk may be forcing the water into the apartment as the water may be infiltrating through the bricks above the window. The other guy proposes that he tear out the old loose caulk and freshly caulk the lintel so water doesn’t come in. These are two contradictory solutions and I’m trying to find out which contractor is correct. Any thoughts?
ejalbk
in Exteriors 12 years and 1 month ago
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9 replies
mylrob | 12 years and 1 month ago
This is a very tipical leak problem, and an easy fix for that matter. In most cases when you are experioencing leaks above the window lintel, the issue is with the waterproofing (or lack of it) above the lintel. There should be a waterproofing membrane behind the brick/stone terminated at top with weep tubes allowinf for water to escape. In older structures this was done differently. You should not caulkthe gap between the steel lintel and the brick/stone immediately above it. You leave it either open or you use mortar. Mortar (and brick) is designed, believe it or not, to absorb water that it later releases, caulking doesnt. Besides, caulking requires regular maintenance (every 2-5 years) when mortar does not. I’ve been doing this for many years and the problem is usually the same. You should remove the brick/stone immediately above the lintel, install waterproofing with end dams, re-install the lintel and the brick/stone. I’m pretty often in the neigbourhood, I dont do work of this size, but I can offer my advice. 917.502.5704 Robert
zampano | 12 years and 1 month ago
horizontal joints ABOVE lintels and relieving angles are NEVER sealed. Horizontal joints BELOW lintels and relieving angles are always sealed and NEVER filled with mortar. With that said, the former are very common in historic buildings and the latter are very rare in historic buildings.
m926bk | 12 years and 1 month ago
The joint above the lintel, between the lintel and the brick, should be pointed with mortar (and possibly weeped). This is also the bedding for the brick course. The joint below the lintel, between the lintel and the window frame, should be caulked.
stevecym | 12 years and 1 month ago
DIBS: In theory you are correct, water should never be penetrating a building anywhere – but people who work in the trades – who actually work in the trades – see water not as a localized problem situated where the resulting damage occurs but as something that can and does enter the building through fault of many things including somone elses work, age, or nature and then travel (we had a leak in a commercial building once where water came in and dripped onto an I-beam and traveled 40 or 50 feet across that i-beam before it finally emerged in an office). Water should not be entering the lintel where it meets the brick – but bear in mind that inside the wall the lintel is turned up like a catch all for anything coming down inside that wall. If there is a void in that wall anyplace up above (and the “if” is not a long shot, it happens a lot) water will find its way in and travel down the wall hit the top of the lintel, travel in between the top of the lintel and the brick and travel down the brick and make a 90 degree turn where it moves along the turn in the lintel until it comes to a stop at the caulk. the caulk does not breath (I assume the caulk does not breath; I just googled this product and all I got was a bunch of people talking about it who think it is great stuff who seem to think that one can seal a building up and keep it from breathing; if this caulk allows one way travel of moisture – that is out and not in – I will eat my words. I actually might go onto the blog where they are discussing this and toss a wrench into things by asking what happens when the water creeps in from a leak up above), the water remains. Water expands at a rate of 9 percent when it freezes, thus when a cold snap arrives and the water freezes and has no where to go, it shifts bricks and moves the lintel – and the problem is worsened. What you are saying about caulking the lintel at the window frame is correct and it is proper to caulk the windown frame – it has to be done.
Now, back to something else I said in an earlier answer about water coming down from way up above. People would probably read what I said there and think that it is impossible if they have plaster thrown against the brick. In my house where it happen, the water soaked the plaster and continued to run through it and came out when it hit the window frame in the kitchen. WHen this was occuring, there was no evidence on the plaster that it had been saturated by water. It was not until days later that the water left a stain on the plaster.
Steve
stevecym | 12 years and 1 month ago
DIBS: You are missing the point. Caulk is not ever placed in a horizontal position on a structure becuase if water gets into the skin of the building from above, the caulk with prevent it from getting out. Horizontal joints must be mortar. I have watched so many people – contractors – use caulk in a horizontal position on the exterior of a building and I have been amazed that they do not or cannot forsee the problems they are causing for the property owner. That said, people do caulk windows where it meets the lintel – but not the lintel and mortar joint. Also, I just read the OP. I can ad something here as it happen in my house. the joint opened between the membrane on the roof and the first course of brick. it was winter and the gutter had leaves blocking the downspout. the water went over the top of the gutter and under the roof membrane and the exterior brick – until it hit the top of the window frame two floors below and came into our kitchen. If the OP’s leak is occuring in the rear of the house, the side to where the roof slopes, this is a possibility and it happens quite often to people. Steve
cupolacoffee | 12 years and 1 month ago
Water entering from above the window does not necessarily mean you need to caulk or mortar a lintel. It’s far more likely that your brickwork needs repointing. Look further above the window for loose or missing mortar, or the wall moving or bulging.
stevecym | 12 years and 1 month ago
this is what an old timer told me many years ago “never, ever run caulk in a horizontal direction on the exterior of a building.” in my years since i have heard that I will add to it – what that man told me is doubly true when working with mortar. Please be aware that I am only posting this information as a favor; I would rather not get involved in this issue. Steve http://brownstoner.staging.wpengine.com/tinkerswagon
daveinbedstuy | 12 years and 1 month ago
It should be a mortar joint. That said, there are masonry caulks out there, very high tech and will do the job but tou’re not going to find them at tour corner hardware store. I have used them and they work. Maybe HD and Lowes has them but not sure if they come in a brown.
pristine | 12 years and 1 month ago
1st guy said right because if the gap between lintel and brick than he is right. that gap should fillup with mortor.Culk shoul be use between lintel and window.I think you may call another contractor to take a look and it may need to change the lintel.There is a post for GC recomment try from them and get the right person.best of luck.