If you live in California, then you are aware of the fault lines that run throughout the state and the damage that can happen to you and your home.  Which is why being knowledgeable about earthquake retrofitting will help you make your home safe and secure.  Without securing your home it will inevitably need extensive repairs after the quake occurs.

What is Earthquake Retrofitting

If your homes foundation is starting to show signs of deterioration or damage then you will need to have your home retrofitted, to bring it up to current building and safety codes.

Earthquake retrofitting is a process that adds reinforcement to a structure by installing additional hardware to the foundation.  Commonly called house bolting or foundation bolting.

Homes built before 1970 must be retrofitted as earthquake protection guidelines were not as stringent as they are now.  Homes built from 1990 and on have earthquake-resistance elements however, earthquake building codes have improved since then and it is wise to have your home inspected.

Effects of Earthquake Movement on Your Home

The common thought is that it is the ground beneath your home opens up and swallows it, when in fact the ground after an earthquake stays intact and solid.  In an earthquake there are three main ways that a house will move creating damage to the structure.

Sliding – House slides of foundation and rips away at the foundation.

Racking – Cripple walls buckle and collapse.

Overturning – House lifts off foundation.

How Earthquake Retrofitting Works

House bolting, foundation bolting, and cripple wall bracing are ways to counteract the damage and the movement that an earthquake makes.  The additional hardware helps protect your property from the side-to-side and the back-and-forth movements.

Foundational plates can be layered to allow for sliding movement during an earthquake.  It provides a stable base for the structure.  The foundation plate is installed on the top or bottom part of the mudsill.

The foundation stud anchor is installed to the top floor joist and the bottom part of the foundation.

Flexible cushions foundation absorbs the movement and energy during an earthquake allowing the structure to remain intact.

Steps During the House Bolting

When the residential foundation repair company begins house bolting it will begin with them cutting the stucco, install the bolts to the foundation, place a wire mesh over the cuts in the stucco, patch it and then finish.  Your home on the outside will look the same and yet underneath it will be secured to the foundation.

It is imperative that you are on the lookout for a los angeles foundation repair company that has experience and a proven track record in earthquake retrofitting.  Retrofitting is not something that you can do yourself, it is a complicated construction job.  Having your home earthquake retrofitted will greatly reduce the costs after a quake and reduce your insurance premiums.  Contact the los angeles foundation repair company that is the largest earthquake retrofitting company, Weinstein Construction for your estimate today.