by David Grindley, MCE, PE
David Grindley, MCE, PE. Courtesy, Grindley Williams Engineering
Buildings with damaged siding may now need code-required upgrades when they’re repaired. That’s one of the notable changes in the 8th Edition of the Florida Building Code (2023), which went into effect on December 31, 2023. Here are some other changes from the prior edition (2020) that will have various impacts on the property insurance industry and consumers.
- A revision to 1405.2, FBC-Building, now requires that in addition to protecting the building from rainwater, the exterior cladding must also be of adequate strength to resist wind loads in all areas where the design wind speed is greater than 115 mph (so pretty much the entire state!). This may cause buildings with damaged siding to need code-required upgrades when they’re repaired.
- And speaking of exterior cladding, that old vinyl siding may no longer be acceptable if you’re building in an area of high wind pressure. Check out 1405.14, FBC-Building.
- Section 1410 now contains increased requirements for soffit spans and attachments to resist wind pressures. Soffits are frequently one of the first components to fly off during a windstorm, so hopefully these new requirements will help keep them securely in place.
- A few modifications have been made to the sections that govern underlayments for most common roofing assemblies. These sections received an overhaul in the 2020 FBC, but the 2023 version has aimed to simplify and clarify the various options for underlayment. Check out 1507.1.1 FBC-Building or 905.1.1.1 FBC-Residential for the new verbiage.
- Sections of the 2023 FBC that are devoted to structural design (i.e., calculating the applied service loads and ensuring the assembled components have adequate strength to support the building against those loads) have been updated. The 2020 code was based on the 2016 version of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Standard known as “ASCE 7.” That Standard was updated in 2022 and the new FBC has been updated based on the 2022 version of the Standard. Confused? You’re welcome! Suffice to say, a good portion of the math that goes into designing a building has changed to reflect the most up-to-date research in structural engineering. Better design equals safer buildings.
- This one will affect plans for roof trusses, including repair drawings for damaged trusses. 2303.4.1.1, FBC-Building, now requires that method and details of diagonal bracing be provided on the truss design drawings, along with a plethora of other requirements.
- Splish-Splash! A new section has been devoted to swim-up bars constructed at hotels, motels, theme parks, and entertainment complexes. If you plan to socialize and sip a margarita in the hotel pool, this section outlines all the particulars for how the bar is to be constructed, the instructions for how water is to be circulated and disinfected, and the rules for access and signage.
- Options for keeping water out of wall assemblies have been expanded. The list of acceptable water-resistive barriers (WRB) for use in exterior walls per 1404.2, FBC-Building, now includes other specific options. The prior code nebulously stated that walls need to be provided with 15-pound felt or “other approved materials.” The new code at least provides a list of what some of those “approved materials” are, although unless you have a few ASTM standards memorized, you’re still going to need to decipher exactly which materials are allowed. WRBs such as DuPont’s “Tyvek” and similar are generally approved for use in wall assemblies.
Keep in mind that the above list is definitely not a complete list of changes in the 2023 code. If you find yourself in a situation where code verbiage is causing you headaches, feel free to reach out to your friendly neighborhood structural engineer. We love translating code jargon into words that regular folks can understand.
David Grindley is one of two executive partners at Grindley Williams Engineering and serves as a structural engineer, primarily conducting structural inspections and remediation design associated with residential and commercial properties. He is licensed in several states throughout the southeast, with international code council certifications as a residential building inspector, commercial building inspector, and building plans examiner. He also holds Department of Financial Services accreditation for teaching and as a neutral evaluator.
LMA Newsletter of 1-29-24
