If you live in an area that is prone to earthquakes, then you might want to invest in a few upgrades that are going to make our home sturdier and more secure. While you won’t ever be able to make your home completely earthquake-proof, there are a few steps that you can take to greatly reduce your risk of dealing with catastrophic damage following one of those natural disasters.
Secure Larger Items Inside the Home
Before you begin to alter your home, you might want to spend a little bit of time taking care of the possessions inside your house. In some cases, fires can be responsible for causing nearly 90 percent of all structural damage following an earthquake, and that is one of the reasons why clothes dryers, water heaters, and other appliances need to be secured in place. You should also anchor larger furniture to the walls and floor.
Inspect and Repair the Foundation
At least once every year or two, you should take a very close look at your home’s foundation to make sure that there isn’t any extensive damage. A few smaller cracks are completely normal, but you need to be wary of any larger cracks that seem to be growing in size. You might also want to have the foundation professionally inspected and repaired if you have noticed that it is starting to crumble.
Reinforce Entryways With Steel
All of the entryways and openings throughout your home could be major weak points, and that is why many people reinforce them with steel. A steel service center should be able to easily fabricate steel plates that can be hidden in the frame of any large doors and windows throughout your home. As an added bonus, that steel could greatly boost the security of your home.
Secure the Roof and Walls
There are many different ways to strengthen the walls and roof of a home, and you might want to speak with a contractor about all of your choices. Two of the most popular reinforcement options include shear transfer ties and cripple wall braces. You should also consider adding a few extra bolts to the frame of your home so that it is more securely tied to the foundation.
These few renovations and upgrades could be very beneficial, but you must make sure that you have a robust insurance policy as well. Many basic insurance policies don’t cover earthquakes, and that means you will need to add an endorsement that covers those natural disasters.
