Preparing your home for an Earthquake
Earthquake tips From Vancouver.ca
- Have your building evaluated by a professional structural design engineer. Ask about home repair and strengthening tips for exterior features such as porches, front and back decks, sliding glass doors, canopies, carports and garage doors.
- Check to see if your house is bolted to its foundation.
- Bolt down or reinforce water heaters and other gas appliances. Use flexible connection whenever possible.
- Place large and heavy objects on lower shelves and securely fasten shelves to walls.
- Store breakable items such as glass jars, china, in low closed cabinets with latches.
- Hang heavy items such as pictures and mirrors aways from beds, couches or anywhere people sit.
- Anchor overhead lighting fixtures to the ceiling.
- Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas connections.
- Repair deep plaster cracks in ceilings and foundations and make sure they are not indications of structural damage.
- Install flexible pipe fittings to avoid gas or water leaks.
- Store pesticides and flammable products securely on bottome shelves in cabinets with latched doors.
- Follow local seismic building standards and safe land use codes that regulate land use along lines.
- Purchase earthquake insurance.
For more information on how to prepare yourself visit: http://vancouver.ca/corpsvcs/emerg/prepyourself/naturaldisasters.htm
