Simpson Strong-Tie®: Building Stronger and Safer Homes
Earthquakes are inevitable if you live in California. If you experienced the 1989 Loma Prieta 6.9 magnitude quake in the Bay Area, you will never forget the violent movement, the damage and the aftershocks. Seismic experts predict that we are overdue for a major event, especially along the Hayward Fault in the East Bay.If you live in an older home, there are steps you can take to strengthen it. Dolan’s resources are here to help you evaluate your home’s resilience and safeguard against earthquakes and other natural disasters. Simpson Strong-Tie products are available at Dolan’s.
Strengthen Your Home Against Disaster: Find the Perfect Solution Today!
When it comes to resilience during a major earthquake, some homes perform better than others. This largely has to do with when a structure was built — more specifically, due to the building standards at the time of its construction. Homes built before 1985, and especially those built on raised foundations, can be susceptible to earthquake damage.
Earthquake Preparation and Safety: You and your family should have an emergency plan and know what to do before, during, and after an earthquake. Practice Drop, Cover and Hold. Do not get in a doorway or run outside. It is not safer and does not protect you from falling debris or falling objects. Store your emergency kits near the exit and in the room where you spend most of your time. Also keep one kit in the car and one at work. The minimum to include is food, water, a radio, flashlight, and first aid kit. Inside your home, secure Items that could fall in an earthquake and cause injury. Make sure items like picture frames, mirrors, bookshelves, dressers and water heaters are secured to the wall studs.
An Earthquake-Ready Home assures your home and family are prepared for an earthquake. Structurally Sound Homes that are tied together from the roof to the foundation are much more likely to remain standing during an earthquake. This creates a continuous load path that helps hold the house together. Most newer homes are built with a continuous load path, which is like a chain that ties the house together from the roof to the foundation.
Fortunately, advances in structural engineering, lessons learned from past earthquakes and scientific research have paved the way for construction techniques that better equip homes to withstand a seismic event. And local and regional building codes now require all new houses in seismically vulnerable regions to meet higher construction and safety standards.
The Bay Area is an earthquake zone. Simpson Strong-Tie is available for new construction and retrofitting. For more information, call Dolan’s in Concord or Pinole. 800-936-5267.
