When there’s an earthquake, whether moderate or extreme, objects begin shaking and falling inside your home. Many things can happen as well, like your home sliding off the foundation. So, it’s important to know how to protect your home before an earthquake hits.
The best way to do this is by preparing your home ahead of time with earthquake brace bolts, seismic retrofits and other reinforcements to the structure of the foundation. But, you also have to take care of items within your home by securing bulky furniture, bolting down appliances and affixing knickknacks.
Heavy Objects Cause Most Damage And Injury
The UCLA released a study in regards to the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and the amount of death, injuries and damage that occurred. They determined that most was a direct result of heavy household objects falling on people.
Things like bookshelves, entertainment centers, large pictures/paintings, refrigerators, dressers and the like were all contributing culprits. So, you’ll have to use a little foresight and evaluate your home for any weak spots and potential hazards.
Evaluate Your Home For Earthquake Weak Spots
You should check for things that could throw about or tip over during an earthquake. Big and heavy furniture along with large wall decorations, ceiling fixtures, beds on wheels and bookcases have the propensity to be deadly. So, you need to secure these things to reduce the chances of tragedy.
For instance, you can use QuakeHold on smaller knickknacks and other such valuables. This is a putty that helps lighter objects stay in place. Also, you’ll want to trim tree limbs and branches. This is because they could damage the structure of your home in the event it falls during an earthquake.
Then you’ll need to create and prepare a safety kit specifically for earthquakes. This means collecting supplies essential to your survival along with security measures to keep you and your household safe. You may want to download the MyShaker App, so you can get fair warning before an earthquake comes and prepare accordingly.
Need Professional Help?
However, to truly have a grasp on how to protect your home before an earthquake, you’re going to need professional help for foundation building reinforcements, water heaters and kitchen appliances, among many others. You will have to bolt and brace these down with an authorized strap kit.
They can also assist you in securing larger electronics such as computers and TVs. Not only can these fall over but they can also become a fire hazard, compounding the damage to your home. However, if you’re renting, you will have to clear your ideas with the landlord prior to implementing your plan.
In some instances, you may be able to do these things yourself, but certified technicians will do everything by law and up to code. So, it’s advisable to contact a company like Seismic Safety. We will guide you on how to protect your home before an earthquake and can do foundation repairs in Los Angeles.