Some Facts Consumers Should Know About Their Home and Earthquakes

      California may be known for its sunshine, beautiful beaches, and film-making, but it is also, unfortunately, known for earthquakes. Earthquakes occur everywhere throughout the United States at some time or the other, but California gets more than its share. Because of this reason, California has some of the most progressive laws on the books regarding the building of homes and condominiums and their ability to withstand the occasional trembler. When the applicable codes and regulations are followed, residential units in California are some of the most well-built buildings in the country. Those same devices that make a home resistant to earthquakes also help make the home resistant to other natural forces like the strong winds and occasional storms that occur here. Unfortunately, because of the building boom that it is occurring (or has already occurred) in much of California, builders are under intense time pressures to produce homes as quickly and as cheaply as possible. This is especially true of the mass-produced tract homes and condominiums that are being built. The result is that sometimes these homes are not built according to the building code. This can result in a home that may not be totally safe in an earthquake, or that may even flex under fairly minor stresses like wind or small earthquakes. Such flexing can then lead to cracks, water intrusion, and a number of other problems for the homeowner.
      California laws generally require the use of two devices in order for homes to withstand earthquakes and winds. One is the use of "shear walls." Shear walls are simply the walls of a home that are placed at right angles to the exterior walls so that they help support those walls in the case of wind or seismic forces. These walls are like a "house of cards." A card is not going to stand by itself on its side. It needs to be leaning against another card at a right angle to it in order to stay up. This is generally what a shear wall does. These walls are usually called for in the architect's plans, as well as in the building codes.
      The other devices used to strengthen the structural integrity of a home are "hold downs." Hold downs are metal devices that bind the wooden framing members of the house to the concrete foundation. This keeps the walls from falling or blowing over when stressed by wind, earthquakes, or creeping soils movement.
      Hold downs come in two types. One, is the "strap hold down." Strap hold downs are imbedded into the concrete slab and then bolted to the vertical framing members. The other type is the "anchor bolt hold down." In this type, long bolts are imbedded vertically into the concrete slab. The ends of the bolts stick up through the horizontal framing members and are then bolted into the vertical framing members. The result with the proper use of either type of hold down is a very stiff, strong home that should be able to withstand all but the most violent earthquakes or winds.
      As noted before, however, not all builders are so diligent in their construction practices. Unfortunately, it is quite common to find homes with missing strap downs, improperly bolted strap downs, and missing or improperly placed shear walls. The result is a home that is not as safe as it should be.
      Furthermore, if a home is missing some of these structural components, it may exhibit symptoms other than merely falling down in an earthquake. For example, the home may flex in the wind or when minor tremors occur. The result is that the home may exhibit cracking stucco, warped walls, and ill-fitting windows and doors, among other things. If a home exhibits some of these problems, a homeowner may want to hire a contractor or a professional to inspect the home to determine the cause. Missing hold downs and the improper placement (or lack of) shear walls may be the reason. In this case, repairs should be made by the original builder to bring the home up to code and to make it structurally sound.

Disclaimer- These materials prepared by Shinnick & Ryan LLP are for informational purposes only and are not legal advice. Transmission of the information is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Online readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel.  [Full Disclaimer]

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