Agent Offfers
Realty Times TV

How to Protect Your Home From Earthquakes

Posted On Tuesday, 04 October 2022 14:02
How to Protect Your Home From Earthquakes

Though there's no way to prevent earthquakes and other natural disasters in the world, there are things you can do to protect your home— the most important investment in your life. If you live in a particularly earthquake-prone area, like along the west coast or in Hawaii, take measures to make sure your home is reinforced to protect you, your family, and your assets. 

You don't have to install an earthquake safety valve to beef up your home’s defense in the event of a disaster, though it is recommended if you have the funds. But there are tweaks you can do to make your house safer as is. Though climate change is recognized as the key factor responsible for an increase in severe storms across the world, there is no indication earthquakes are increasing on a yearly basis. 

On average, there are roughly 15 earthquakes per year with a magnitude of 7 or greater. These numbers can vary per year, but there is no intense variation seen in recent years. Earthquakes are very much a popular event, especially if hit in a densely populated area. There’s a lot of attention for a catastrophic earthquake in a big city or country, and with global communication connecting the entire world, earthquakes don’t often go unnoticed. 

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), there are both small and large tweaks you can make to better prepare yourself and your home in case of an earthquake. 

Inside Your Home 

  • Have A Plan: Make sure your family is all on the same page about the best procedures to abide by in case of an earthquake. Have a safe space, either outside or away from hanging fixtures or other furniture, to go to in order to wait out an emergency. It doesn’t hurt to practice this plan often. 
  • Have A Clear Exit: Ideally, have at least two different exits that are easily accessible no matter what part of the house a family member is in during an emergency. Keep the exit path clear so make for the quickest possible exit. 
  • Relocate or Anchor Heavy Objects: Ensure large furniture, like a bookshelf or dresser, is properly anchored to the ground to avoid possible injury from it falling. Earthquakes will knock things off shelves, capsize furniture, and potentially make parts of the house collapse. Make sure nothing large or heavy can fall and damage a family member or part of your home. If something can’t be anchored, consider moving it to a more secure location. 
  • Secure Fixtures, Hanging Furniture, Electronics: Items like ceiling fans, chandeliers,  air conditioning units, mounted televisions, or other electronics or wall mounts can fly off the walls or collapse from the ceiling. Add support and anchoring to these objects if you live in an earthquake-prone area. 
  • Secure Water Heaters and Cabinets: Since water heaters are connected to both water and gas lines, an earthquake could lead to an even bigger problem if the water heater is damaged. Fires can be started from broken gas lines, or flooding can take over your basement after an earthquake. Battening down the hatches on cabinets can stop plates, coffee cups, and mixing bowls from flying off the shelves and hurting people. 
  • Consider An Earthquake Valve/Earthquake Insurance: An earthquake natural gas shut-off valve (or a seismic natural gas shut-off valve) automatically shuts off your natural gas when a significant earthquake strikes around your home. This extra security can save you time in a disaster, and provide peace of mind that your house won’t suffer from gas leaks, potential fires, or other gas-related issues due to earthquakes. Earthquake insurance is always a good idea if you experience multiple earthquakes a year in your home. 
  • Know How To React: Do not run or panic in the event of an earthquake. In most situations, drop, cover and hold onto something until the shaking ceases. Practice with your family about how to react when an earthquake occurs. 
  • Protect Your Documents: Either digitize or take photos of your important documents in your home or make copies of them so they won’t get lost in a disaster. 

Outside Your Home 

  • Keep Your Connections Flexible: Install flexible connections to major gas lines to decrease the risk of leaks or fires. This can be done inside as well but will help in the event of a disaster and limit the damage. 
  • Secure Outside Furniture: Make sure your deck furniture, like patio chairs, grills, tables, and other items are properly anchored so they won’t be damaged or cause additional damage to your home. Add braces to canopies or outside structures at the top and the base to avoid additional damage or injury. 
  • Reinforce Garages and Carports: To protect your vehicles and other possessions in storage, reinforce your garage or carport to avoid potential collapse, which could have a domino effect on the rest of your home. Carports often have less foundational support than the rest of the house, so strengthening the walls and ceilings is always a good idea in earthquake-prone locations. 
  • Identify Possible Threats: Be aware of big trees, hanging limbs, or telephone poles that could fall on your home in the event of an earthquake. If you can stomach it, consider removing trees or chopping limbs that could pose a threat. Brace your roof for falling objects like power lines with concrete or plywood sheathing. 
  • Fix Repairs Before An Earthquake Strikes: If you notice roof damage or a weak wall or ceiling in your home, fix it before an earthquake potentially caves it in. Staying up-to-date on your house’s structural needs can prevent or limit disasters in the future. 

Other Useful Preventions

  • Have an emergency supplies kit ready in the home in case you need to escape or survive a disaster and make sure your family knows its contents and how to build one for themselves. 
  • Review your homeowner’s insurance policy frequently, and update it with earthquake insurance if possible 
  • Check the CDC’s website for advice on how to respond to an earthquake based on where you live and what kind of structure you live in. 
Rate this item
(0 votes)
More in this category: > Why is renting still so expensive? Real Estate Crowdfunding: What is it, and How Will it Impact Real Estate's Future?
back to top

Agent Resource

Before You List

Today's Headlines

Realty Times

From buying and selling advice for consumers to money-making tips for Agents, our content, updated daily, has made Realty Times® a must-read, and see, for anyone involved in Real Estate.

Links

Sections

Search

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries