As a homeowner, it’s essential to be aware of the structural integrity of your home—especially if you live in an area prone to earthquakes like Monroe. One way to ensure that your home can withstand an earthquake is to retrofit it by a specialist. But how do earthquake retrofitting specialists access the structural integrity of older homes? Let’s take a look:
How Earthquake Retrofitting Specialists Assess Foundations
One of the ways that earthquake retrofitting specialists access structural integrity is by looking at a home’s foundation. The foundation is one of the most important parts of a house and is also one of the most vulnerable to damage during an earthquake.
To assess the condition of a foundation, specialists will often use a technique called ground penetrating radar. This allows them to see beneath the ground surface and identify areas where the foundation may be weak or cracked.
How Earthquake Retrofitting Specialists Assess Framing
Another way earthquake retrofitting specialists access structural integrity is by looking at the framing of a house. Framing is responsible for supporting the weight of the house, and it is also one of the most likely parts of a house to collapse during an earthquake.
To assess the condition of framing, specialists will often use a technique called infra-red thermography. This allows them to identify areas where the framing may be weakened or damaged.
As Monroe’s most trusted earthquake retrofitting specialist, Evergreen Seismic deeply understands the structural challenges that older homes face. We apply this knowledge to every assessment, providing homeowners with a clear picture of their home’s seismic safety. Contact us today to learn more about how we can protect your home from the next earthquake we face.
They did a wonderful job on the seismic retrofitting. Our 1926 house is noticeably more stable. The workers were very pleasant to have in our home, and they cleaned up shockingly well when they were done. If we could hire them for the rest of our home improvement job we would.