Why Retrofit?
Geologists have predicted the Willamette Valley could experience a catastrophic, 9.0+ magnitude earthquake in the next 50 years, leveling most building west of Interstate 5 and causing significant damage to structures throughout Oregon, including into Central Oregon. 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.
If your home was built before 1994, your house, often your biggest asset, is likely not built to withstand an earthquake of this magnitude. Protect your family from the next Cascadia earthquake with a seismic upgrade.
Cascadia Subduction Zone
This fault has not produced an earthquake since the last Cascadia earthquake in 1700, and the plate is actively building up pressure where the Juan de Fuca Plate subsides beneath 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.
Here are a few things to consider when deciding if you should retrofit your home:
Is your home secured to the foundation using specifically engineered hardware with bolts?
Are the cripple walls sufficiently supported with proper sheathing?
Does the post & beam support system meet current building code?
Are your home's footings sufficient to withstand a strong earthquake?
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