AN ABBREVIATION OF THE LINK ABOVE:

 

(Earthquake Insurance can help you recover. Loss of Use coverage helps with the costs of temporary shelter and additional living expenses so that families can get back on their feet quicker. Without earthquake insurance, you place yourself at risk of losing everything or sustaining damages to your personal property that you cannot afford to repair. )

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HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU CANNOT STAY IN YOUR HOUSE AFTER A BAD EARTHQUAKE/ THINGS TO LOOK FOR:

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• Once the connection of the house to foundation is weak or broken, another after shock may cause the house, or portion of it, to collapse or fall off of the foundation. This may result in injuries or fires. If you discover the house has shifted or is partially off the foundation, you may NOT want to stay in the house until a professional has determine the seriousness and risk. If there are aftershocks occurring, you want exercise even a higher-level of caution. (Print out the information, pages 1-9, from the link above and keep it in your earthquake box. Use it as a guide as you walk around your house.)

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• Do not enter any crawl spaces alone or if there is any noticeable damage to the house. You can do a cursory look from the crawl space access but do not put yourself in danger or an area where you can get trapped or injured if a tremor, aftershock or earthquake should occur.

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• Check for damaged to the rafters and trusses, as well as the rest of the roofs framing. Occasionally, in an earthquake, if the ridgeline is bowed, it’s because the walls are leaning outward at the top of the exterior walls on opposite sides.

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• Remember, if there is still seismic activity or after shock warnings, do not enter the attic areas where you may get trapped or injured if there was another earthquake or a roof failure.

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• Stucco walls. Has the stucco cracked or fallen off in places? It is not unusual to have some stucco cracks, especially at door and window corners, a crack that is 3/8 inch or an inch wide would be a “Yellow” or “Red” flag.

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• When you hear the words “it’s a brick house” be careful, for there are basically two types of brick houses. One, is where there are two or more layers of brick and the brick are structurally part of the house; if you removed the brick, the house would fall down.

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• The second type is where there is a brick veneer that is connected to a structural wall (i.e. a wood framed wall) and that if you removed the brick, the wall and house would remain standing.

 

• Most brick homes built today are the second type where the brick is held to the framing of the house, usually with some form of ties to connect the brick to the framing. You can remove the brick and the house still remains standing; the bricks are basically for protecting the framing and for architectural purposes. The same concept basically applies to stone houses.

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• Be careful about using the fireplace for heat if the earthquake knocked the power out, for cracks in the fireplace or damaged flues may actually cause your house to catch fire. 

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• If you see evidence of soil movement in your yard or if there is a retaining wall that developed cracks, started to lean or fell over,  then you may want to think of it as a “Yellow or Red Flag” that your house may have suffered structural damage. If you have block walls or brick fences and they are leaning or damaged, that is additional evidence that the house may have suffered damage.

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• Cracks running through your yard, the street or on an adjacent hillside should be considered a warning sign that the house may have possible foundation damage.

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• As a result of foundation movement or damage, the floor may now slope; therefore, if the floor is sloping then other parts of the structure may also have moved or suffered damage. If the floor slopes a 1/8 or 1/4  inch in 10 or 15 feet, it may not be major, but a 1 or 2 inch drop would be a structural concern.

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• There may be various warning signs on the interior of the house that the framing or foundation has suffered structural damage. Should you see some of these warning signs be sure that you conduct a structural check as outlined. Look for the following:

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• Doors that have gaps, that are stuck shut, that rub or that are difficult to open and shut

• Windows that have gaps, that are stuck shut or they’re difficult to open and shut

• Leaning or bowed walls

• Sagging or damaged ceilings

 

• If a house has had significant movement, the rafters may have pulled loose at the ridge board or a ridge beam. If the exterior walls of the house are leaning or tilted, it is common for the rafters to pull loose from the ridge board. If the rafters are pulling loose and there is an aftershock or a bigger earthquake, then the roof may collapse because the first quake loosened things so much that even a little jolt may bring it down.

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When in doubt about how safe your house is after an earthquake, be on the safe side and consult a professional:

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• FEMA and other emergency disaster agencies personnel

• Local building department (AF)

• Structural engineer

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If your house is SAFE to enter after an earthquake but not safe to permanently live in for now, be sure to grab your important documents AND take video and/or pictures for insurance purposes. Both to send to your insurance adjuster to start your claim and also to create an itemized list of what you lost. If you have a picture of your rooms and closets, you will (hopefully) be more likely to remember what is in those cabinets and drawers that you are leaving behind.