Why is it important for builders to understand earthquakes and their impact on home construction? First, earthquakes can be deadly and extremely destructive; building to withstand them can save lives and prevent damage. Also, unlike other forecastable forces of nature that cause concern for builders—rain, snow, wind, sun, temperature, hurricanes—earthquakes are not a weather-related event. Earthquakes can occur at any time and occur without warning. Statistically, there is an equal distribution of earthquakes in cold weather, hot weather, rainy weather, etc. Finally, all 50 U.S. states are active with earthquakes.
To provide the best protection for homeowners and their homes against earthquake damage, builders should be familiar with the seismic activity in their area and know and follow local building codes. The best practice is to create a continuous load path from the roof to the foundation and footings, a construction similar to that which helps the home withstand wind loads and hurricanes. Some examples of creating a continuous load path include reinforced connections between the roof assembly and framing; among framing members; and between the foundation and framing, as well as the use of shear panels.
In addition, loads inside the home must be secured. For example, water heaters and furnaces should be as close as possible to ground level. Also, refrigerators, washers, dryers, and water heaters should be strapped to the walls to prevent toppling. Toppled appliances or water heaters can cause broken gas lines, gas leaks, broken water lines, flooding, and fires. Case in point: it is thought that the fires resulting from the legendary 1906 San Francisco earthquake did more damage than the earthquake itself.
For more information on building in earthquake zones, see our related article about "Building Considerations for California." More Best Practices® for planning, designing and constructing your homes to resist damage from earthquakes and other natural forces can be found in BuildIQ University’s online training course, Building for Performance.
