XR250
Structural
- Jan 30, 2013
- 5,643
My GF dragged me to Church yesterday. Board AF, I noticed the gable end wall behind the Preacher looked bowed outwards. This is an approx. 50 ft. wide sanctuary with a vaulted ceiling. The wall looks to be about 30 ft tall at the peak and about 5 1/2" thick. Probably built with 2x6's and a hinge at about 14 ft (the approx height of the side walls). Spent the remainder of the service figuring out how I would fix that if asked to. I was worried it was also carrying a 70 ft. ridge.
At the end of the service, I went outside and could see it was, in fact, visibly bowed outwards about 4". I could also verify that scissors trusses were used so it is not load-bearing.
Given that it not constructed properly (even if some steel was used, it is too slender for it to be effective) and will likely collapse in a hurricane, do I notify the Church or the AHJ of the deficiency? It has stood for 15 years without failure. I did not see any sheetrock cracks. Honestly, it is not the first church I have seen with a floppy gable end wall.
At the end of the service, I went outside and could see it was, in fact, visibly bowed outwards about 4". I could also verify that scissors trusses were used so it is not load-bearing.
Given that it not constructed properly (even if some steel was used, it is too slender for it to be effective) and will likely collapse in a hurricane, do I notify the Church or the AHJ of the deficiency? It has stood for 15 years without failure. I did not see any sheetrock cracks. Honestly, it is not the first church I have seen with a floppy gable end wall.