When Los Angeles building owners require earthquake retrofitting to strengthen their structure, Optimum Seismic is the premier expert.
For decades, this company has been providing structural reinforcement to buildings. By getting your building reinforced today, you could save thousands in future insurance expenses.
Foundation Bolting
If you want to protect your house during an earthquake, foundation bolting is a must-invest in. This process involves attaching bolts between the wood framing of your home and its concrete foundation (sometimes referred to as the mud sill).
Foundation bolting is an affordable, effective method of protecting your home against earthquake damage. However, it must be done by a professional in accordance with all building codes and regulations. Furthermore, investing in foundation bolting could result in significant savings on earthquake insurance premiums over time, making the investment pay for itself over time.
Since Los Angeles is one of the world’s seismically active regions, homeowners must prepare for both catastrophic earthquakes and frequent smaller tremors. The best way to do so is by installing house bolting before an earthquake strikes.
Los Angeles seismic retrofitting company offers a range of foundation bolting services to strengthen your home and protect it against earthquake damage. Our licensed and experienced construction specialists can determine which method is most suitable for your property, then carry out the required work with precision.
Foundation bolting is an integral component of earthquake retrofitting strategies for all homes, no matter their age. It’s the first step in a three-part system that also includes plywood and shear transfer ties.
Foundation bolts are used to attach your mud sill to the concrete foundation. We offer epoxy bolts, wedge anchor bolts and side plates. Each product undergoes testing from independent laboratories to guarantee it can withstand earthquake forces.
Our team also offers foundation bolting services such as hold down brackets that attach to the ends of shear walls, which are specifically designed to withstand lifting and rolling effects caused by earthquakes.
We also provide foundation bolting services for older homes built before 1940, when Californians first started using steel framing. Without such protection, these homes could shift during an earthquake and be torn away from their foundations.
Cripple Wall Bracing
If your home has a cripple wall, it is essential to secure its foundation in case of an earthquake. Cripple walls are short framed wooden stud walls that sit atop a house’s foundation on a sloped hillside; these structures are commonly found in older homes and can be particularly vulnerable to earthquake damage.
Poor construction, inadequate reinforcement and incorrect connections can leave houses vulnerable to collapse or complete collapse if not addressed correctly.
Cripple walls are particularly vulnerable to being infested with termites and other wood-destroying insects, which could lead to major structural issues. Earthquakes, landslides and high winds are especially destructive for weakly constructed structures that cannot withstand such forces.
To prevent a cripple wall from buckling or collapsing during an earthquake, it must be secured with plywood and framing/foundation anchors. Furthermore, bolting together shear walls and foundations helps ensure they don’t slip or move during an earthquake.
Los Angeles seismic retrofitting companies provide a range of solutions to ensure the structural safety of your home or business. Our knowledgeable staff can inspect your structure and provide an estimate for necessary work so that it’s secure in case of a major earthquake.
The initial step in stabilizing a cripple wall is to attach plywood sheathing inside the stud walls that surround the crawl space. Subsequently, framing/foundation anchors are used to connect rim joists at their topmost points on each stud wall.
Once the sheathing and anchors have been installed, diagonal braces are attached to each stud with Simpson Strong-Tie hurricane straps.
This prevents the studs from buckleing when a shear wall moves upward during an earthquake, as well as stopping them from sagging which could cause the entire shear wall to collapse.
Seismic retrofitting contractors are trained to address breaks in the upper top plate continuity by inserting steel straps or nails into these breaks to anchor it to the shear wall. Doing this will stop any crumbling of the house during an earthquake and reduce or eliminate its risk for collapse.
Floor Framing
Floor framing is an integral component of home construction, whether you’re creating a brand-new house or renovating an existing one. This technique utilizes dimensional lumber in an organized pattern for lightweight yet strong structures that will last for years.
However, the process can be time-consuming and laborious; thus, hiring a professional is often worth the investment. Additionally, having an organized framing plan for your project will ensure all pieces of lumber are accurately cut to size before being fastened together.
Once you’ve established the general layout of your floor, it’s time to begin construction. To get going, order all necessary lumber from any home improvement center or have it cut according to the dimensions specified on your framing plan at a local lumberyard.
For instance, if you’re framing a 12-foot by 18-foot floor, you will require 4 sill plate boards, 4 rim joist boards and 9 main floor joists. These components come together to form the framework of your new structure.
Next, you must connect the wall framing to the flooring. At this stage, you can either use wood or steel joists; typically, wood will be the more budget friendly option.
Wood is often chosen for earthquake-resistant buildings due to its lightweight and greater flexibility than masonry, making it more resistant to the effects of ground shaking.
Steel joists, in addition to wood, are a popular framing material; however, they tend to be more costly than other framing materials. Steel joists typically support floors on upper levels in residential structures like basements or garages.
Another popular option is plywood, which can stiffen walls of a house and help them resist earthquake movement. This type of sheathing is usually custom cut with ventilation holes, covered with galvanized wire mesh screens and securely attached to cripple wall framing – especially beneficial when the house sits on a slab.
Steel Frames
No matter the material of your building – concrete, steel or masonry – it’s vital to prepare it for an earthquake. Otherwise, the structure could collapse and cause extensive damage to the property.
Los Angeles seismic retrofitting companies provide several services to ensure your building can withstand a major earthquake. These include installing new concrete foundations and steel frames.
The initial step in steel frame construction is to conduct a full structural assessment of your building. This will identify any weak points that could potentially result in racks, slides or overturning.
Once the site has been assessed, your building engineer will suggest a retrofitting plan. This will guarantee that welded steel beams are installed securely and correctly to withstand earthquake forces.
Different steel frames present unique structural challenges which could negatively affect its ability to withstand an earthquake. At Alpha Structural, our experts will work with you to identify the most suitable way of retrofitting your building in order to enhance its resilience during such events.
When a large earthquake strikes Southern California, it can cause extensive structural damage to buildings. To prepare your home, have it retrofitted by an experienced Los Angeles structural engineer.
Are you uncertain whether your home is at risk for a major earthquake? Check CEA’s fault map to identify potential structural hazards near you. It would also be beneficial to have your house inspected by a structural engineer to identify any potential issues.
Most people do not consider their house to be vulnerable to major earthquakes until one occurs. This is especially true for older homes which were not designed with earthquake-proofing in mind.
However, many older homes can be retrofitted to make them more earthquake resistant. These modifications will protect your house from being displaced from its foundation during an earthquake.
Furthermore, these upgrades will reduce your liability. Your homeowners insurance may decrease when you take out an exclusive earthquake policy for your building.