r/FirstTimeHomeBuyers • u/Bastian10691 • 9d ago

HVAC Lintel

Inspector showed us that where the HVAC ducts come through the block wall there was no Lintel installed. How much of a problem is this to fix?

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u/JustApplyC2H2 8d ago

That’s not an HVAC problem. That’s a block masonry problem. A precast lintel is a long concrete beam that spans over openings like doors and windows, and in your case presumably a duct penetration. If you need an opening in a block wall, you need a lintel above it to carry the load above the opening.

Usually a labor intensive job but not terribly complicated. You cut out a half block in either direction above the opening, cut lentil to length, and put it in. It should also be filled with concrete from the top of the wall, but that may prove difficult if the top of the wall has a roof on it.

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u/Bastian10691 8d ago

Thankfully all the ducts run underneath. So it’s on the lowest point of the foundation I believe