The Hi-therm lintel is a hybrid design combination of glass-reinforced polymer and galvanised steel, to create a lintel with high performing thermal characteristics, greater corrosion resistance than stainless steel and ability to support loads equal to standard or heavy duty steel lintels. Here are all the facts you need to know:
How does it work?
The Hi-therm Lintel bonds the internal and external leafs of a cavity walls together by spanning the intervening gap yet minimises thermal bridging from the warm inside environment to the cold outside environment through its unique design of Steel & GRP. It can be manufactured to suit different cavity widths, making it ideal for a wide range of different building types. The most important part is that Hi-therm has an extremely Psi value (between 0.04-0.06W/m.K) which can have a massive improvement within SAP calculations.
What load can it carry?
The Hi-therm lintel range is designed to cover the same load range as our steel lintels. So far, we offer the Hi-therm lintel in standard, heavy duty, extra Heavy duty loading, wide inner leaf & eaves lintels
What is the maximum cavity wall construction & length it can accommodate?
It can accommodate a maximum opening size of 3300mm (3600mm lintel) and a cavity width from 100mm – 175mm.
Why is this lintel type used?
With ever changing Part L building requirements, lintels are now required to be assessed for their effect on the thermal performance of a building. A lintel is a non-repeating thermal bridge element and the calculated Y values are taken into account in SAP.
The Hi-therm lintel has a low Psi value which then has a positive effect on the SAP calculation.
By having a positive impact on the SAP calculation, it gives designers flexibility to choose less onerous wall u-values and glazing specifications so that designers can value engineer their building specification whilst maintaining compliance with building regulations.
What is the turnaround time?
The turnaround time for the production of Hi-therm lintels is 5 working days from the day the order is placed.
How do I build this lintel in?
The lintel is built in with the exactly the same process as the standard steel lintels.
Can I plaster the underside of both inner and outer leaves of the lintel?
The Hi-therm lintel has the option to have a plaster key added to both sides through perforating the steel on the inner leaf and the application of a grit resin onto the GRP to create the plaster key.
What is the life expectancy of the lintel?
The Hi-therm lintel will have a working life equal with that of a building that it is installed into, so long as the Hi-therm lintel is designed and installed in accordance with BBA recommendations.
Find out more about Hi-therm here
