5 Ways To Retrofit An Old House Against Earthquakes

You can never be too careful about prepping for the next disaster. More than 143 million Americans live in potential earthquake-prone regions waiting for disaster to strike, via the United States Geological Survey. Because earthquakes strike without warning, it is always necessary to get prepared for such events. Retrofitting a house against an earthquake essentially involves taking measures to strengthen your home's structures against the earthquake's dangerous shakes. Whether you are a renter or a homeowner, you must take the necessary steps to ensure your home is safer during an earthquake. But how do you know if your house needs such upgrades in the first place? Well, modern houses are built in accordance with building codes that are aimed at protecting your home against such eventualities. 

Older houses, especially those built before 1980, will need retrofitting against earthquakes. It goes without saying that you want to keep your family and property safe from a potential earthquake, and sometimes investing in retrofitting renovations might give you just that. Retrofitting a house against an earthquake is quite costly, according to the California Earthquake Authority, such renovations could cost you between $3,000 and $7,000. Here are some of the ways you can ensure your house will remain standing after an earthquake.

This is probably the most common type of earthquake retrofitting technique. A cripple wall is essentially a type of raised foundation made of short wooden stud walls not longer than 4 feet, creating some crawl space between the first floor and the gradient of the soil. This type of foundation is slowly becoming a dying technique because of its inefficiency when it comes to seismic activity protection. In addition to anchoring the foundation to the building, older houses with cripple walls need further reinforcement through plywood bracing to provide the structure with additional protection against earthquakes. 

Cripple walls shorter than 4 feet can be retrofitted for an earthquake by a professional or a skilled homeowner. However, those over 4 feet in height will require the special services of a structural engineer for proper advice. In an effort to encourage many homeowners to consider retrofitting their older homes against earthquakes, Earthquake Brace + Bolt is offering retrofitting grants of up to $3000 for qualifying homeowners in high-risk regions to help finance these necessary upgrades.

Fire is one of the greatest dangers that also accelerates the destruction of property and lives. In fact, according to The California Fire Prevention Organization, earthquake fire is what brought about the most damage during the infamous 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Almost all the fire that happens during an earthquake is caused by broken gas pipes, and a spontaneous ignition often sets the whole place ablaze. The solution is twofold when it comes to retrofitting utility lines, especially gas lines, against earthquakes.

First, you need to realize that if the gas lines are rigid, there is a high chance that they will shear during the violent shakes. Gas lines must be flexible enough to allow some movement when earthquakes strike. Secondly, your home needs an automatic gas shutoff valve. The office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy mentions that a shutoff valve, also known as the seismic gas valve, automatically switches the gas off from the main line once an earthquake of magnitude 5.4 or higher strikes.