What You Need to Know About Your Garage Door’s Lintel

The lintel of a garage is a load-bearing beam that supports the opening in the framing where the garage door will be installed. This part of the structure is subject to a lot of wear and tear, vibration, and weather damage, which may cause it to warp, bend or buckle. If you notice problems with the area above your garage door, it is important to promptly schedule a garage door repair in Bakersfield.

Lintel Materials

On older houses and garages, a lintel may be made of wood. Hardwoods such as oak, hickory or walnut were typically used for lintels. Houses and garages built since the 1950s usually use metal. The steel or steel alloy may be coated with zinc in order to add some weather resistance.

What the Lintel Does

The lintel bears and redistributes the load from the portion of the garage wall that is above the garage door’s opening. It transfers the weight to the vertical beams that hold it upright. It also provides the upper portion of the frame where the track of the garage door comes down the wall.

Common Problems

Old wood lintels may develop wet rot or dry rot. They may warp as a result of extreme temperatures in a garage that is not heated and cooled. Wood lintels are also prone to pest damage if termites, carpenter ants or carpenter bees enter the structure. Lintels may warp under the heavy weight of a brick wall. Settling of the garage may also increase warping. Metal lintels may corrode over time. If the temperature fluctuates rapidly, the expansion and contraction of the metal may cause sagging and bowing of the lintel. Lintel problems make it difficult or impossible to operate the garage door.

Garage Door Bakersfield

A problem with the lintel above the garage door could affect the side walls where they are mounted. Off-balance brackets should be adjusted and remounted by an experienced garage door repair technician. If you need assistance with lintels contact Precision Garage Door of Bakersfield.

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