Help! Heave worry from removing tree

[Bingjamin]

Hi all,

 

I've got myself in to a pretty bad headspace. I had a tree removed from the drive of my property (partial picture of the tree included, apologies that all I have) in November 2021. I have for some reason 6 months later found myself reading about heave and the damages it can cause which I wasn't aware and I need some advice. I want to put to the back of my mind as currently is cause me endless amounts of stress. Not sure at this point whether I'm being irrational or not.

 

Essentially the tree trunk stood 22/23ft from the my property and stood around the same height, think it may be a sycamore. Wasnt a big tree and the tree surgeon/aborist who did the job said it wouldn't be a problem at the time and more recently too. I believe it was planted after or at the same time the property was built around 1990, and certainly was not before.  

 

What I think has got me into a spin is that since then I've been made aware of some mortar cracking around the back and front windows which from the homebuyers survey states were there at the time of purchasing in June 2021. Relatively minor and not uncommon from what bricklayers have advised, but from my endless (and frankly damaging) readings of google is that this is a sign of subsidence which therefore can be affected by heave if tree are removed. 

 

Further more from research my property sits on loamy soils which are made up partly of clay. 

 

Can anyone help me get out of this worry?

Am I being irrational or is this is genuine concern?

 

Thanks in advance,

Dan

[openspaceman]

14 minutes ago, Gimlet said:

That cracked brickwork looks like a dropped lintel to me. It's not actually dropped, that's an old term from the days of wooden lintels, which did drop from bowing or compressing as they decayed. But catnic types cavity lintels are prone to minor twisting and settling and can bow if disturbed to create a tell-tale stepped crack running from the lintel bearing p

Fascinating, thanks

[Bingjamin]

Thanks for you help everyone.

[daltontrees]

Gimlet seems to ahve covered it pretty well. I utterly hate seeing no weep holes above catnic lintels. I'd bet that in an attempt to point their way out of trouble a previous owner has filled in the weep holes or perpends that were left there to let moisture running down the inside face of the outer leaf of brickwork (which is normal) dry out. I'd drill and rake them out because it bugs me that much. We had this issue in my first house when I was young, I remember water running down the inside of the dining room wall because some bawbag builder had forgotten to put weepholes in and cavity wall insulation had made it much much worse.

[Guest Gimlet]

To be honest, catnic lintels shouldn't need weep holes. They're designed with an outward-shedding tray built in. If fitted correctly (and cleanly...) they naturally direct water to the inner face of the outer leaf. BUT, they depend on clean brickwork and a conscientious brickie who keeps his cavities clean. If the lintel tray is filled up with mortar droppings, water will be pushed back towards the inner leaf. They must be clean. I used to have a length of old water pipe with one end flattened and I'd use that to make sure lintels and trays were left spotless. 

 

But too many brickies can't be arsed. And it isn't just brickies. I've been called out to fix damp problems above windows and when I've removed bricks I've found lintels that were rammed solid with two feet of rubbish on top of them. Scraps of roofing membrane, empty frame sealant tubes, timber off-cuts and spent expanding foam cans, complete with nozzles, (window fitters are some of the worst) all encased in half a hundred weight of mortar. 

I'm afraid a lot of trades use the cavity as a rubbish bin. It's this couldn't-give-a-f**k attitude in large part that made me become disillusioned with the building trade.

Edited April 22, 2022 by Gimlet

[daltontrees]

22 minutes ago, Gimlet said:

To be honest, catnic lintels shouldn't need weep holes. They're designed with an outward-shedding tray built in. If fitted correctly (and cleanly...) they naturally direct water to the inner face of the outer leaf. BUT, they depend on clean brickwork and a conscientious brickie who keeps his cavities clean. If the lintel tray is filled up with mortar droppings, water will be pushed back towards the inner leaf. They must be clean. I used to have a length of old water pipe with one end flattened and I'd use that to make sure lintels and trays were left spotless. 

 

But too many brickies can't be arsed. And it isn't just brickies. I've been called out to fix damp problems above windows and when I've removed bricks I've found lintels that were rammed solid with two feet of rubbish on top of them. Scraps of roofing membrane, empty frame sealant tubes, timber off-cuts and spent expanding foam cans, complete with nozzles, (window fitters are some of the worst) all encased in half a hundred weight of mortar. 

I'm afraid a lot of trades use the cavity as a rubbish bin. It's this couldn't-give-a-f**k attitude in large part that made me become disillusioned with the building trade.

Weep holes will still allow that water on the inside of the outer leaf to drain but also aid ventilation. Maybe it's just me, but htat's what I'll be doing for peace of mind. Also I leave out every third brick until the end to allow a regular clear-out. OTT I know, but...

 

There are so many well thought-out products in the construction indistry that just don't work because of lazy or ignorant workies or corners being cut to save money.

[Khriss]

Certainly put the poster's mind to rest anyway... K