There is more than a 99% chance of one or more magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquakes striking California. While there is a 75% chance of one or more magnitude 7.0 or greater earthquakes striking Southern California alone.
California has a history of destructive earthquakes like the Northridge earthquake in 1994, which caused over $20 billion in residential damage, destroyed or severely damaged thousands of single-family homes, and left about 22,000 people homeless. Prepare your home ahead of time by seismic retrofitting your house to strengthen your home’s foundation. Retrofitting does not mean your house is now “earthquake proof” but can make damage less likely and help make a house remain habitable after an earthquake.
On October 27-December 1, 2021 registration for the 2021 Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program will be open.
In an Earthquake Brace + Bolt code-compliant seismic retrofit, the foundation is “bolted” to the frame of the house, and when there are walls called “cripple walls” in the crawl space under the house, they are “braced” with plywood. This reduces the likelihood that the house will slide or topple from its foundation during an earthquake. An EBB seismic retrofit is available to eligible homeowners in specific ZIP Codes whose homes are wood-framed, built before-1980 and on a raised foundation.
The Seismic Retrofit Work – Three Upgrades to Your Home
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Brace Your Existing Cripple Walls (if You Have Them)If you have cripple walls, they carry the weight of your house. If they collapse during an earthquake, so might your home. Bracing your cripple walls strengthens them and may prevent your house from toppling. |
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Bolt Your Home to its FoundationMost earthquake damage actually occurs when unsecured buildings slide off of their foundation. Bolting your home helps prevent sliding. |
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Strap Your Water HeaterProperly strapping the water heater reduces the likelihood of water and fire damage that could result if your water heater becomes detached from water and gas lines during an earthquake. |
Earthquake Brace + Bolt is a grant program that provides eligible California homeowners up to $3,000 toward a residential code-compliantseismic retrofit. The purpose is to help homeowners lessen the potential for damage to their houses during an earthquake by “bracing” the crawl space, when necessary, and “bolting” the foundation to the house’s frame. The 2021 program, EBB is offering an additional Supplemental Grant to help low-income homeowners (income up to $72,080 per household) that may pay for up to 100% of the cost of a seismic retrofit, as funding permits.
To register, visit: https://www.EarthquakeBraceBolt.com/
The EBB Program was developed by the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).