Winterize Your Church the Right Way

Churches come in all shapes and sizes; from tiny, rustic countryside establishments to immense stone cathedrals, each were built with the express purpose of hosting others for worship ceremonies, community gatherings, and major life events, including baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and funerals. While outside aesthetics are important, as they make your building appear welcoming and majestic, keeping the interior warm, comfortable, and safe should be of just as much concern. Members will appreciate being able to gather in a space where they can worship and communicate without shivering!

Take the following steps to make sure your church is prepared for the coming season (for our cold-climate customers, at least); afterwards, be sure to check out our selection of discount clergy robes and other warm church-appropriate apparel for both men and women.

Invest in mobility solutions for elderly parishioners. Winter is a dangerous time of year for those with disabilities, including the elderly. While we can make every effort to ensure their safety in our spaces, taking extra steps to accommodate those with special mobility needs makes our communities into even more welcoming spaces. While ADA regulations already require buildings to be equipped with handrails and ramps, consider also investing in portable vehicle ramps for communal use, or additional ramps and handrails to make every entrance fully accessible to all.

Thoroughly inspect for drafts. For being such small details, tiny cracks, spaces, and gaps can make a huge difference in keeping a building warm! Old structures may be more difficult to winterize in this manner, as keeping their appearance in line with historical guidelines can be both costly and more difficult than simply caulking a space over, but there are steps anyone can take to temporarily help cut down on drafts. Door draft stoppers can be bought or made, and slipped between a door crack and the floor once everyone has entered or exited a space, helping to preserve heat. Temporary window seals are also available for purchase.

Carefully plan your snowplowing. Saturday and Sunday services call for more parking spaces than other days, and so keeping track of when a snowfall occurs, when plowing will happen, and how likely a mound of plowed snow is to have melted by your next service (check predicted weather conditions) can help you decide on a plan to have as many parking spots free as possible, at the right time.

Be sure also to buy salt and/or sand in advance (and not the night of an imminent snow storm) to ensure enough is stockpiled for any level of storm.

If you have any other tips on how to make sure a congregation can be safe, warm, and comfortable all winter long, we urge you to share them with us and fellow clergy across the U.S. in the comments section of this blog. Questions about our company, products, or another subject? You can contact us online or by phone.