INTEL REMODELING.COM :: Earthquake Retrofitting

Earthquake Retrofitting
If you live in earthquake county and have a home built before 1980, chances are you will need to earthquake retrofit to avoid the risk of sustaining serious damage during an earthquake. An earthquake retrofit reinforces a house to its foundation so that it will be more resistant to earthquakes. An earthquake retrofit brings a home up to current safety codes and significantly reduces the damage it will sustain during an earthquake. At-risk houses have not been adequately bolted to their foundations may shake off their foundations and even collapse in a serious earthquake, often causing irreparable damage. If a house is severely damaged, you may be prevented from entering it even to claim possessions. In fact, it’s estimated that 95% of houses that have been shaken from their foundations during an earthquake have to be demolished.

A typical retrofit will include:
Earthquake Retrofitting Remodeling

Home Bolt Down
Steel bolts or special foundation plates are fastened to the house’s sill plate (the plate that connects the concrete foundation to the pony wall) to anchor it to the foundation.
Floor and Understructure Connection
Steel framing clips are attached to the pony wall along the sill plate to bolt the two together.
Increasing Shear Strength
Sheets of half-inch plywood are nailed along the pony wall to increase its shear (horizontal) strength.

Your house is probably your most expensive expenditure and greatest investment. The potential damages to your house in an earthquake if it is not up to code are many times as expensive as the cost of retrofit. Unfortunately, earthquake insurance is not adequate protection against damage received in a severe quake. Insurance deductibles are usually high – 10% of the value of your home. Which means that your deductible on a $300,000 home would be $30,000. Additionally, if your home is damaged or demolished due to an earthquake, you are still responsible to continue paying your mortgage.

Links and Resources:

U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program

Home equity and other loans for a home earthquake retrofit are available from a variety of sources. See the financing section for additional details about earthquake retrofit loans.

Find a Local Earthquake Retrofit Contractor
Earthquake retrofitting can protect the value of your home. Click here to contact a local, licensed and reliable contractor in your area.