Rusting lintels and failing garage I-beams are hidden dangers in older Pittsburgh homes. Our 4th-generation masons replace them correctly, protecting your home's structure for decades to come.
Call (412) 531-7444Steel lintels are the hidden structural heroes of your home. These horizontal beams span the openings above your doors, windows, and garage entries, supporting the full weight of the masonry above. When a lintel fails, the consequences are serious: cracking brickwork, sagging masonry, compromised window and door frames, and in severe cases, partial wall collapse. In Pittsburgh's older homes, lintel failure is one of the most common and most dangerous structural masonry problems we encounter.
J.A. Gimigliano Masonry has been replacing structural lintels and garage I-beams across Pittsburgh and the South Hills for over 112 years. As a 4th-generation masonry company, we have seen thousands of lintel failures and understand exactly how to replace them safely and permanently. Our owner is on-site for every lintel replacement, overseeing the critical work of temporarily supporting the masonry above, removing the failed lintel, installing the new steel, and rebuilding the surrounding brickwork.
The steel lintels in most Pittsburgh homes were installed when the homes were originally built, many of them 60 to 100 years ago. Over decades, moisture works its way through the mortar joints and contacts the steel lintel beneath. Pittsburgh's high humidity, frequent rain, and winter freeze-thaw cycles accelerate this corrosion. As the steel rusts, it expands, sometimes to several times its original thickness. This expansion pushes the surrounding bricks outward, creating the telltale signs of lintel failure: horizontal cracks above windows and doors, displaced bricks, rust stains running down the wall, and visible bulging of the brick face.
Garage door openings are particularly vulnerable because the I-beams that span these wide openings bear tremendous weight. A failing garage I-beam can create a dangerous structural situation that requires immediate professional attention. Many South Hills homes built in the 1920s through 1960s in neighborhoods like Mt. Lebanon, Castle Shannon, Brentwood, and Whitehall are now reaching the age where lintel replacement becomes necessary.
Lintel replacement is precision structural work that requires careful planning and execution. We begin by temporarily shoring the masonry above the opening to safely support the load during the replacement. The deteriorated lintel is then carefully removed, the bearing surfaces are cleaned and prepared, and a new properly sized steel lintel is set in place with correct bearing depth on both sides. We then rebuild the surrounding masonry, matching the existing brick and mortar for a seamless appearance.
For garage I-beam replacements, the process is similar but on a larger scale, often requiring heavier shoring equipment and larger structural steel. We ensure every replacement beam is properly sized for the span and the load it must carry, providing a permanent solution rather than a temporary fix.
Failing lintels only get worse with time. Contact Pittsburgh's most experienced lintel replacement team for a free inspection today.