Earthquake Retrofitting | Seismic Upgrades
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Earthquake
Retrofitting

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Many homes in the Washington and Oregon regions aren’t constructed to accommodate seismic activity. That’s because the Seattle Fault wasn’t identified until 1992. Therefore, people living in this seismically active region who own an older home are at risk. There’s a high chance that your home isn’t built to current seismic codes.

Retrofitting homes involves upgrading existing structures with modern technology and materials. That’s where earthquake retrofitting comes into play. Even a minor seismic event could cause your home to shift off the foundation. It’s vital to take action, so schedule seismic retrofitting services with TerraFirma and safeguard your home in case of an earthquake.

Reasons to
retrofit your home

  • You reside in a high-risk, active seismic zone.
  • You want earthquake retrofitting to improve your home’s strength.
  • You want your home to act as a shelter after an earthquake.
  • You want to potentially reduce earthquake repair costs, insurance premiums, and deductibles.
  • You want to reduce earthquake insurance premiums and deductibles.
  • You want to potentially qualify for earthquake insurance if your home isn’t currently eligible.
tf seismic zone 1 retrofit
tf earthquake common signs retrofit

What are common signs of earthquake vulnerabilities?

The following are the most common home issues to look out for in Portland, Salem, Roseburg, and the Seattle-Tacoma areas:

tf unreinforced brick retrofit
Masonry like brick, tile, adobe, or decorative rock must be reinforced with bracings like rebar to withstand an earthquake. Unsupported load-bearing walls, exteriors, and other structures like chimneys are especially vulnerable to collapse.
Unreinforced Brick or Concrete Block
tf cripple walls retrofit
Cripple walls are short, vertical wooden boards that support the floor. In an earthquake, unreinforced cripple walls can sway from side to side or cause the house to fall. Expansion bolts, framing anchors, and foundation bolting can prevent a cripple wall from collapsing.
Cripple Walls
tf lack of sheathing retrofit
Sheathing is a layer of plywood that is nailed over the studs of your home, providing a solid surface upon which to nail tar paper, shingles, and siding. In addition to providing much-needed insulation, sheathing keeps the building from shifting in an earthquake.
Lack of Sheathing
tf unsecured foundation retrofit
When a home is not secured, an earthquake can cause it to slide off its foundation, rupturing gas lines, causing fires and other structural damages. A quick visual inspection can often reveal whether your home is secure: Look out for thick bolts and anchor plates that connect the frame to the concrete foundation in your crawl space or basement.
Unsecured Foundation
tf unsecured appliances retrofit
Appliance feed lines are particularly susceptible to breakage when unsecured equipment moves during a quake. Strapping your water heater to the wall or floor, and installing seismic protection for your gas meter can go a long way toward minimizing damage.
Unsecured Appliances
efflorescence small retrofit
Do you think something could be wrong with your foundation? Take a walk around the perimeter of your home. Do you see numerous small cracks in the foundation, or maybe even large ones? Is the concrete flaking off or crumbling in certain places?
Foundation Problems

Schedule your free
Earthquake Evaluation

Book Now

Schedule your free
Earthquake Evaluation

Book Now

TERRAFIRMA IN ACTION

Homeowners in the Pacific Northwest know we live in an active seismic zone.
A little preparedness will go a long way to protecting your home and your family in the event of an earthquake.

How to Tell if Your Home is Vulnerable to a Landslide

The Warning Signs of Foundation Damage in Your Home

How to Protect Your Home from a Potential Earthquake

6.3 Earthquake Hits Near Coos Bay


HOMES RETROFITTED & HOMEOWNERS PROTECTED

Don’t take our word for it – see what our clients have to say.
From Roseburg to Eugene, Portland to Seattle, our earthquake retrofitting work speaks for itself

Gail W.
Gail W.
Our problem was that our front yard had settled, taking parts of our huge concrete front porch and sidewalk down with it. We watched the cracks in the porch get wider every year, and the sidewalk sloped down and away from the house.TerraFirma evaluated our situation and explained what was happening around our house. Then they gave a very detailed explanation of how they would make the repairs - even what they could and could not do - complete with a video demonstration.The young man who showed up to do the work was very courteous and professional. It was fascinating watching portions of our porch and sidewalk being raised up, leveled, and the gaps coming together.We are very pleased with the end result and have recommended TerraFirma to others.
Dan G.
Dan G.
Jake and his crew did a terrific job fixing the cracks in our foundation at a reasonable price. We would definitely use them again!
Ray P.
Ray P.
For Seth Cunningham: "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." Terrafirma should be very proud to have Seth Cunnigham as their first impression. Punctual, professional, personable, and very knowledgeable. Seth assessed our crawl space and provided us with a thorough explanation (photos) of the situation, options (videos) and itemization (documentation) of each potential solution. He is a delightful young man who I would recommend without hesitation.
Blake O.
Blake O.
TerraFirma has been great to work with overall on a big basement water problem I've been dealing with. Big thanks to Antonio R. and Gael O. for their work today - they were great!
Melissa T.
Melissa T.
Highly recommend this company. Needed a concrete pad and they were terrific. Matt and his crew were efficient, professional and did a great job. Plus they...
Christina H.
Christina H.
TerraFirma had sent a very nice gentleman come out to my house, his name was Seth Cunningham. He was very polite and thorough about his job. Great service. I would recommend this service.
Shawn L.
Shawn L.
Marcus from Terrafirma came out to service the crawlspace waterproofing system arriving right at the scheduled time. He was very friendly, courteous and professional. I highly recommend.
Ethel K.
Ethel K.
The two man crew was polite and knowledgeable. They worked hard and finished on time. They was no damage to property and if needed they will repair the problem.
Mike P.
Mike P.
TerraFirma recently completed our crawlspace encapsulation.Project went exactly as laid out. No surprises. I've been down there twice since completed and never in prior 12 years. A shout out to Sammy (Project Manager), Tim Cranley (Foreman), Spencer Hunt, Felipe Jimenez, Jorge Diaz and Robert Carmona for all their time, efforts, professionalism, attitudes, etc.. It was a job well done and the staff was great. TerraFirma also did our settling front porch at a rental property in Olympia, WA. Raised it approximately six inches. That also went just as planned.Thanks for that, too.
Rob C.
Rob C.
Very pleased with the work, from the beginning sales person visit to the ending follow-up chats, on the phone, about the work performed. We had a foundation...
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EARTHQUAKE RETROFITTING HOMEOWNER QUESTIONS

How can I assure my home IS ready for an earthquake?

Scheduling a free evaluation with your local TerraFirma System Design Specialist is the first step toward a permanent fix for your home’s earthquake readiness. Your System Design Specialist will conduct an on-site evaluation of your home and depending on several factors a prescriptive seismic retrofit or a custom-engineered system will be designed to bring your home up to standard. TerraFirma takes care of all necessary engineering, permits, labor, and materials.

WILL EARTHQUAKE RETROFITTING REDUCE THE COST OF EARTHQUAKE INSURANCE?

Retrofitting your home can potentially reduce your earthquake insurance premiums and deductibles. TerraFirma has seismically retrofitted thousands of houses across the Pacific Northwest and helped homeowners throughout the region qualify their homes for earthquake insurance.

Don’t forget – seismic activity can start a chain of unexpected events that leave unprepared homes severely damaged.