Earthquake Retrofitting | Seismic Upgrades

Earthquake
Retrofitting

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

Schedule your free
Earthquake Evaluation

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.


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

Very prompt on inspection and the team did a fantastic job leveling our home. The gals in the office were right on top of getting us scheduled right away. Thank you Terra Firma
Seth came out to my house and was awesome! He was on time, polite and professional. The information was presented in a clear manner and helped us understand what our options were to achieve our house objectives. Definitely glad we had TerraFirma come out to give us a bid.
1. Foundation pier support - appears to be good work. 2. Earthquake retrofit - less than perfect on cutting into living spaces to attach hardware -...
Paul Anderson originally came out to estimate the job and advise us of any problems that we might expect. He was very professional and knowledgeable.Jeremy, the technician leveled our walkways was efficient and friendly. He Worked on his own and completed the leveling and injection of foam quickly and accurately.We were very pleased with the entire operation and would highly recommend them
Thorough assessment, competitive quote, good work crew, and great customer service. Scheduling, permitting, and payment were easy. I had 4 piers installed to stabilize a small workshop attached to my garage.
TerraFirma did a great job lifting a portion of my driveway that was sagging. They evened out the sagging section without cracking it. Repair is virtually invisible. They also did a great job of sealing the joints afterwards.
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.
TerraFirma raised a settled front porch on our rental property in Olympia. Raised it almost 6". That went just as discussed, no surprises and obviously...
Thank you Seth, for being so thorough during the inspection of our needs. Your explanation of what caused our problem and the process to fix it was easy to understand. We are looking forward to having our foundation issues repaired by Terrafirma.
TerraFirma did a great job with the earthquake update on our home. They were friendly and performed the work in the time expected and at the agreed cost.
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EARTHQUAKE RETROFITTING HOMEOWNER QUESTIONS

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

WILL EARTHQUAKE RETROFITTING REDUCE THE COST OF EARTHQUAKE INSURANCE?