Residential Earthquake Retrofitting
San Francisco and Marin County, CA
Retrofitting for earthquakes is an important part of protecting your family and belongings. Earthquakes can cause a house to become displaced from its foundation. Retrofitting works to prevent this, making the building less prone to structural damage.
In more and more parts of California, seismic retrofitting is required by law. Buildings of two or more stories and those crafted with wood frames, in addition to soft-story buildings, must be prepared for an earthquake via retrofitting. This legislation is intended to protect homeowners, businesses, and the general public in the likely event of an earthquake. Learn more about San Francisco’s residential retrofitting laws here.
According to one study, there is a 60% probability of an earthquake measuring magnitude 6.7 across the next 30 years. All residents of the San Francisco and Marin County area should have their homes assessed to determine their retrofitting needs. If your house was built prior to 1945, it is almost certain that it was constructed without proper foundation bolting. Improper bolting does not comply with retrofitting codes., CA
OUR RETROFITTING PROCESS:
In order to determine your home’s retrofitting needs, we will conduct an on-site assessment. Our earthquake retrofitting experts will evaluate your home and develop a plan for the project.
Cripple walls are the short walls that rest on a home’s foundation. They support the exterior walls and floor. If these walls are not braced, they can become displaced during an earthquake. This can cause serious damage to the house. Bracing cripple walls strengthens the structure overall and increases stability.
Houses that are not bolted to their foundations can move during an earthquake. This causes serious damage that is expensive to repair. The bolting process involves drilling holes through the foundation’s sill plate and installing anchor bolts. If there is not enough space to drill, steel plates are attached. It is very important that the bolts are properly installed, so an earthquake retrofitting service should perform residential foundation bolting.
Brick chimneys can cause a lot of damage during an earthquake. When they collapse, bricks can quickly become dangerous projectiles. Our retrofitting professionals will assess your needs and, if necessary, add materials to strengthen your home’s chimney.
If your home is built on a slope, it is supported by footings. They are designed to keep the top of the slope supported on all sides. Wall footings are critical for the stability of a house. We will examine your slope site footings and make sure they are retrofitted for seismic activity.
THE BENEFITS OF EARTHQUAKE RETROFITTING:
- Prevention of structural and material damage
- Cost efficiency
- Fast total project time
- Improved safety and security
- Protection of investments
CONTACT US
If you are in need of earthquake retrofitting services for your Marin County home, contact VCE today.
