Seismic retrofitting strengthens your home’s foundation and structure to better withstand earthquake shaking. It helps protect your family, minimize repair costs, and preserve your property’s value. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, our team specializes in residential retrofits using proven, code-compliant methods—delivered efficiently and affordably.
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Earthquakes exert powerful forces that can severely damage homes—especially those built before modern seismic standards. The images below highlight typical failure patterns found in older, unretrofitted houses. The final image shows how a properly retrofitted home can remain stable and secure during seismic events.
Seismic retrofitting strengthens a home's ability to resist earthquake forces by reinforcing the lateral force resisting system—the parts of the structure that prevent it from swaying, racking, or sliding during ground movement.
A complete retrofit involves improving the connections between the foundation and the wood-framed structure using key structural components—fasteners, plywood shear panels, and concrete anchors— in alignment with standards like those outlined in the California Building Code Appendix A3 .
Fasteners connect the framing members together so the structure can respond as one cohesive unit. Without these ties, parts of the house may shift or separate under stress.
Common fasteners include:
Installed correctly, these fasteners transfer loads between structural elements and prevent movement at critical joints.
Plywood shear panels brace cripple walls—the short walls between the foundation and the main floor. These panels resist lateral (side-to-side) forces and prevent the wall from collapsing or “racking” during an earthquake.
Plywood installation involves:
When installed properly, these panels distribute forces and add stiffness to the structure.
Concrete anchors secure the wooden sill plate to the concrete foundation. This is critical—without anchorage, an earthquake can cause the house to slide off its foundation.
Types of anchors:
Code requirements typically include:
Anchoring ensures that seismic forces are transferred safely into the ground.
These components only protect your home when they work together:
Together, they create a continuous load path that distributes seismic energy from the roof all the way to the ground. This reduces the chance of catastrophic failure, protects your investment, and most importantly, keeps you and your family safer during an earthquake.
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