Chattanooga Brickwork Brigade

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Chattanooga is full of brick homes—some historic, some mid-century, some freshly built. But no matter how new or old, they all have one thing in common: they rely on lintels to hold everything together above doors, garages, and windows. And when those lintels start to fail, it’s not just cosmetic—it’s structural.

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What Is a Lintel, and Why Should You Care?

A lintel is the horizontal support above any opening in a brick wall—like a garage door, window, or entryway. It holds the weight of the bricks above that opening. In older homes, these were often steel, wood, or even reinforced brick. In many cases, especially with garage doors, it’s just a hidden piece of metal you’d never think twice about—until the bricks start cracking.

Here’s what happens when a lintel starts to fail:

• Cracks form above the opening in a stair-step or diagonal pattern
• Bricks begin to separate or sag around the corners
• Mortar joints split or fall out
• In severe cases, the entire wall section above the opening starts bowing outward

If you’ve noticed any of these signs around your garage door or front entry, you’re likely dealing with a failing lintel—and it needs professional attention before it becomes dangerous.

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Why Lintel Repair Is So Common in Chattanooga

Chattanooga’s mixed climate—humid summers, cold winters, and a fair bit of rain—puts stress on masonry structures. Steel lintels rust, expand, and push bricks apart. Older homes in neighborhoods like St. Elmo, Northshore, and Highland Park are especially vulnerable because many of them were built before modern building standards for load-bearing masonry.

We see lintel damage most often in:

• Garage headers (widening cracks and sinking bricks)
• Window sills on south-facing walls that get the most sun and water
• Front entryways where old brickwork meets newer additions or repairs

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Our Process for Brick & Lintel Repair in Chattanooga

Every repair starts with an assessment. We don’t just patch over the issue—we figure out why it’s happening. Most of the time, it’s either:

1. A corroded or undersized lintel that needs to be replaced, or
2. A shifting foundation that has thrown the support structure out of alignment

Once we know the cause, we:

• Carefully remove the affected bricks
• Replace or reinforce the lintel with a new steel angle or beam
• Rebuild the brickwork above the opening
• Match the mortar color and finish so the repair blends in with the rest of the wall

This isn’t just a handyman job—this is structural masonry, and it has to be done right. Half-done lintel work is worse than none at all, and we’ve fixed plenty of those jobs around town.

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What Makes a Good Lintel Repair Last

In addition to the actual steel or structural work, we pay attention to things like:

• Proper weep holes to allow moisture to escape
• Correct flashing to prevent water intrusion
• Load distribution to prevent future cracks above or around the repair site

If your home has already had one lintel fail, others may not be far behind. We’ll let you know what else to keep an eye on so you’re not caught off guard down the line.

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Book a Lintel Inspection Before It Gets Worse

If you’re seeing diagonal cracks above your garage door, or if the brick around your front entry looks like it’s sagging, don’t wait. We offer honest assessments and expert brick & lintel repair services across Chattanooga.

Whether you live in St. Elmo, Hixson, East Brainerd, or anywhere in between—we’ll come take a look and let you know what’s going on.

Contact us today to schedule a visit or learn more about our lintel repair services.