Why Retrofit?
Your home is most likely the single, largest investment you own. Protecting it and your family should be a top priority. Scientists have predicted the Willamette Valley will likely experience a catastrophic earthquake in the next 50 years. This is due to the Cascadia Subduction Zone which lies approximately 70 miles off of the Oregon coast and stretches from Northern California to British Columbia.
Cascadia Subduction Zone
Has not produced an earthquake since 1700 and is building up pressure where the Juan de Fuca Plate is subsiding underneath the North American plate. Currently, scientists are predicting that there is about a 37 percent chance that a megathrust earthquake of 7.1+ magnitude in this fault zone will occur in the next 50 years.
An earthquake can easily move a house off the foundation rendering a home unsafe and uninhabitable. This type of seismic event can also cause unsupported cripple walls to collapse requiring a full reconstruction of the home from the ground up.
A few things we help property owners evaluate to ensure their homes are protected:
Is the property secure to the foundation using specifically engineered hardware?
Are the cripple walls supported with sheathing and foundation bolts?
Does the post & beam support system meet current building code?
Are the footings sufficient to support the property or planned renovations?
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