rife masonry
Earthquake Retrofitting Seattle
What is Earthquake Retrofitting?
Due to Seattle’s increased probability of seismic activity, all buildings constructed before 1980 must be retrofitted for earthquakes. Earthquake retrofitting, also known as seismic retrofitting, is the process of strengthening and stabilizing infrastructure to withstand the effects of seismic activity. Essentially, it’s a form of unreinforced masonry restoration that helps minimize damage and prevent buildings from collapsing during earthquakes. To learn more about the importance of seismic retrofitting for historic buildings and commercial buildings, visit the linked articles.
How Earthquake Retrofitting Works
Earthquakes cause buildings to sway and shake violently. This often results in their structural failure or complete collapse. Typically homes or buildings fail one of three ways during an earthquake:
- The wood framing slides off the foundation
- The cripple wall (located between the foundation and the first floor) is shifted
- The floor joists are shifted out underneath the mudsill or crippled wall
In order to prevent these three types of structural failures, it is essential to retrofit your home or business. Retrofitting is essentially the act of securing unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings, ensuring that they are more structurally sound. This is done through anchoring, cripple wall bracing, and connecting joists.
Earthquake Retrofitting Process
Here’s how earthquake retrofitting works at Rife Masonry:
Reasons to Retrofit Your Building
There are countless reasons to retrofit your Seattle home, business, or commercial building:
Increases Your Safety
Retrofitted buildings are better equipped to handle the effects of a dangerous earthquake. Not only will it be more structurally suited to withstand shaking and swaying, but everyone inside will be much safer.
Minimize Repair Costs
Investing in earthquake retrofitting can save you thousands of dollars in repairs down the road. In the big picture, it is a small price to pay in comparison to the price tag of rebuilding.
Protects Your Investment
Your home or place is business is the most expensive and important investment you’ll ever make. This is why you should protect your investment by preparing for the very real likelihood of a possible seismic event.
Keeps Your Buildings Standing
Not retrofitted buildings have a very real chance of collapsing, crumbling, or being displaced from their foundations. This means that if you don’t properly retrofit your building, you run the risk of it being completely uninhabitable after an earthquake.
Masonry Building Restoration Seattle
Along with earthquake retrofitting, we recommend property owners take additional precautions to protect the structural integrity of their buildings in case of earthquakes. This includes various restoration practices such as historic and unreinforced masonry restoration.
Common practices involved in masonry building restoration at Rife Masonry include:
What Our Services Include
- Routing out all mortar on sky-facing joints
- Re-pointing
- Terra cotta and stone patching
- Sanded caulk joints
- Earthquake retrofitting
- Parapet bracing
- Pinning & doweling using all-threads and helical ties/stitching
- Diaphragm strengthening
Seattle Earthquake Retrofit Contractor
At Rife Masonry, we are committed to providing exceptional earthquake retrofitting services for homeowners and property owners in Seattle. Our team of retrofit contractors is highly knowledgeable in everything from earthquake retrofitting and tuckpointing to historic masonry restoration and unreinforced masonry restoration. This makes us a true one-stop shop for all your masonry restoration and preservation needs. Additionally, our ability to handle retrofit projects of any size or complexity, no matter how challenging, separates us from local competitors. Reach out to us today to learn more about our earthquake retrofitting services – we can’t wait to work with you!
Protect Your Building
Reasons to Retrofit Your Building
There are countless reasons to retrofit your Seattle home, business, or commercial building:
Increases Your Safety
Retrofitted buildings are structurally stronger, reducing risks during earthquakes and keeping occupants safer.
Minimize Repair Costs
Retrofitting now can prevent costly repairs or total reconstruction after an earthquake.
Protects Your Investment
Safeguard your home or business by preparing for seismic activity before disaster strikes.
Keeps Your Buildings Standing
Without retrofitting, buildings risk collapse or severe damage, making them uninhabitable after an earthquake.
Earthquake Retrofitting FAQ
Is earthquake retrofitting worth it?
Earthquake retrofitting is undoubtedly worth it, given our risk of earthquakes here in Seattle. It gives you the peace of mind that your home or place of business will remain standing even after a hazardous natural disaster and that its occupants will be safe from harm. In the long run, it is a small price to pay for the security and safety of your life and property.
How long does earthquake retrofitting take?
Earthquake retrofitting projects typically take 1-2 weeks to complete. However, the exact timeline will vary depending on the size and condition of your building. Our retrofit contractors are happy to provide you with an accurate timeline following your preliminary assessment.
If I have earthquake insurance, do I still need to retrofit my building?
Yes – even if you have earthquake insurance, you should still retrofit your building. Retrofitting PREVENTS the damage from occurring in the first place instead of simply helping you recoup costs once the damage is done. It can also help to lower your insurance premiums.
Does earthquake retrofitting make my house earthquake-proof?
While earthquake retrofitting makes your building increasingly more equipped to handle earthquakes, it is not 100% foolproof. Your building may still incur some damages. However, there are countless examples of homes not retrofitted, either sliding off their foundation, collapsing, or becoming uninhabitable. In contrast, their neighbor’s retrofitted house is still standing with minimal damage.
How much does earthquake retrofitting cost?
The cost of your earthquake retrofitting project will depend on several factors, including the size of your building, its condition, and the type of masonry involved. Our retrofit contractors will provide you with a transparent, accurate cost estimate before beginning their work.
Schedule Your Earthquake Retrofitting Service Today!
Ensure your building is prepared for seismic activity with professional earthquake retrofitting. Strengthen your structure, protect your investment, and enhance safety. Contact us today to get started!