Design Wisdom for Churches in Hurricane-Vulnerable Locales

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Church.Design

Hunter Camp is pastor of the 195-year-old Memorial Presbyterian in St. Augustine, Fla., which suffered severe damage during Hurricane Irma, toppling its 18-foot cross and damaging the bronze Byzantine dome beneath it.

Thanks to a $2.5-million restoration effort, the church is preparing itself to withstand any future hurricanes the best it can. The work included designers reinforcing the 85-foot-tall dome, adding concrete spires and catwalk, repairing spires and the south towers, reinforcing attic beams, and cleaning and repairing exterior surfaces with the help of historic restoration specialists.

AD Davis Construction of St. Augustine, Fla., was hired to do the job, and one of the major points of the renovation was to ensure it was structurally better to guard against hurricanes.

Impact-rated windows, [Kersey] shares, should be used for any church that is in a high hurricane area, and exterior doors should swing out, to protect the weather stripping.

“There were a lot of cracks in the concrete and we filled them with a flexible sealant and coated over that with a patch and painted it over with a mineral paint,” says Adam Kersey, lead supervisor for AD Davis Construction. “We put protective glass over the stained-glass windows, which helps protect it from flying debris.”

Impact-rated windows, he shares, should be used for any church that is in a high hurricane area, and exterior doors should swing out, to protect the weather stripping. Wood is a bad siding to use, and he recommends something like stucco or something that won’t rot from excessive water.

...churches that are renovated or built from the ground up today have a major advantage of being hurricane-proof because the building codes have improved immensely over the last decade.

Lessons learned

Bill Chegwidden, FAIA, founder, partner and CEO with CDH Architecture in Marietta, Ga., says churches that are renovated or built from the ground up today have a major advantage of being hurricane-proof because the building codes have improved immensely over the last decade.

“Those building new churches have learned their lessons,” he says. “They are adding in new roofs and tying down metal shingles, and if they meet the codes—which have become much more stringent—they will fare well.”

Some states, such as Florida, require architects to take a class every two years so they are up-to-date on the latest rules regarding structures, including the codes to protect best against hurricanes.

If a church has some money for updates, one of the things it should be doing is buying special glass that won’t get blown out during wind storms.

If a church has some money for updates, one of the things it should be doing is buying special glass that won’t get blown out during wind storms.

“Most of today’s windows have really been upgraded to withstand more impact,” Chegwidden says. “The shingles are tied down with metal straps. The main goal is to keep everything from flying around and causing damage.”

The question of money

But not every church has the resources to update their structure, and they still need to protect themselves against possible hurricane damage.

“It’s often a difficult thing to do because it really starts with the foundation, so there’s not a lot they can do to prepare the building without invasive upgrades, especially older buildings,” Chegwidden says. “Churches need to be prepared for emergencies at any time, and that has to do with training workers and getting them ready to act.”

“For stained [glass] windows, they need to be boarded up with everything cut up ahead of time and ready to go so it’s a quick solution." Bill Chegwidden, FAIA, Founder, Partner and CEO, CDH Architecture, Marietta, GA

That means know what everyone’s job is when a hurricane warning comes in, getting volunteers in to help, and understanding what can be done to better fortify the worship space.

“For stain [glass] windows, they need to be boarded up with everything cut up ahead of time and ready to go so it’s a quick solution,” Chegwidden says. “It’s all the preparedness. We find too many churches don’t do that until it’s too late.”

Churches also commonly act as shelters and need to take care of people in times of trouble, so it’s vital that the structure stays solid.

For any church project, Kersey notes it’s a good idea to have a roofer inspect the roof ahead of time so you know if it will withstand hurricane winds.

“A lot of churches have clay tiles on the roof and with water damage over the years, they start to rot,” he says. “Winds are big on ripping roofs are, so it’s important to know if it’s safe.”

Floods from hurricanes are also a problem that churches can face, which is why any new building should be elevated above the floor plan, and even those churches being renovated should look into raising the floor.

Floods from hurricanes are also a problem that churches can face, which is why any new building should be elevated above the floor plan, and even those churches being renovated should look into raising the floor.

Kersey also recommends having sandbags on hand to protect against flooding and having  volunteers handy who will help get them ready and laid out.

Staying on top of things

Todd E. Miller, president of Isaiah Industries Inc., a Piqua, Ohio-based roof manufacturer, says church structures should use metal roofs because not only are they a savvy financial choice, but they will protect churches better when hurricanes hit.

“Traditional roofing materials such as shingles and various tiles depend upon their own weight (gravity) or failure-prone sealants to hold them to the roof deck in the event of high winds,” he says. “Quality metal roofs ... actually interlock one panel to the next. This allows metal roofs, despite their low weight, to withstand very high winds.”

In addition, the resiliency of metal roofing allows it to be just as wind-resistant as it ages as it is when it is new. Other roofing materials become weak or brittle as they age, Miller says.

“The durability of a metal roof, combined with its energy efficiency, makes good economic sense for churches,” Miller continues. “Not only is the church better protected against extreme weather, but it is also [conducive to making sure] donors’ funding [goes] for ministry rather than for roof repairs and replacement.”