Signs of Earthquake Damage

Earthquakes, even rare ones, can significantly damage your property. Especially if you live in a risk zone. There are several seismically unstable zones in the United States, where residents know firsthand about the signs of earthquake damage. These include California, the west of Nevada, Alaska, which together form a ring of earthquakes, and the state of Ohio, which regularly shudders with earthquakes in summer and autumn. The cause of these earthquakes, like most tremors in the United States, is the movement of the Pacific and North American plates, between which the famous San Andreas Fault is located. Earthquakes with a magnitude of more than 8.5 occur here every 120-140 years. Earthquakes with a magnitude of about 8 occur more often - once every 10 years. The state of Washington, where earthquakes up to magnitude 8 are recorded every 20 years, is also included in the Pacific Rim.

Fortunately, high magnitude earthquakes do not happen every year. But, there is also bad news. The signs of earthquake damage can appear even after weak earthquakes. Let's take a closer look at what signs of earthquake damage can appear in your home and how to identify them.

What Are the Signs of Earthquake Damage in the House?

First of all, the main sign that something is not OK with your home is the earthquake itself. It is important to behave correctly during tremors, if possible, not to be in a closed room or near the objects that may fall down. In terms of their strength, earthquakes have a rating from 1 to 12. Often, earthquakes with a magnitude of 1-3 points are not felt by people at all. These earthquakes can cause minor damage to your property. For example, kitchen utensils may get broken or a chandelier may fall. No more. Quite another matter is an earthquake with a magnitude of 4 points and more.

Signs of earthquake damage in your home can be as follows:

• A 4-point earthquake is quite noticeable. If you live in an apartment on a high floor, the wobble will be quite noticeable. Damage to window and door glass can occur, windows and doors can get distorted.
• An earthquake with a magnitude of 5 is felt even stronger. During such tremors, walls can shake, paint and whitewash can peel off, suspended chandeliers can fall down.
• If there is a 6-point earthquake, the signs of damage are much greater. Due to powerful shocks, cracks can appear on the walls of the house, roofs that are poorly fixed or require repair can also get damaged, since tiles can crumble away or pieces of roofing can fall off.
• When the earthquake magnitude is 7, cracks in the walls of buildings become significant. Cracks in the foundations can also occur, and the interior furnishings can be damaged by sudden jolts. Often, such an earthquake also leads to the breakthrough of sewer pipes and the breakdown of other engineering communications.
• Earthquakes of magnitude 8 or more are considered destructive. It is simply impossible not to notice signs of damage caused by such an earthquake with so powerful aftershocks. The impact of shocks having such force can be fatal to dilapidated houses, frame buildings, or summer bungalows. If the magnitude is higher than 10 points, even heavy-duty buildings can be destroyed to the ground.

Checking Your Home for Damage After an Earthquake

It is very important to identify the signs of earthquake damage in your home before it's too late. Sometimes it looks like a structure has survived but serious damage to the foundation or cracks in the walls can end up being fatal to you and your family.

What must be checked after an earthquake?

• The basement and foundation of the house, which are the basis of the entire structure. It is also important to identify if there are no faults under the basement or foundation, as well as whether the formwork is intact. Earthquakes often cause a rise of groundwater level. In this case, your basement may be flooded.
• The integrity of the load-bearing walls. It's a bad sign if the outside walls of the house are damaged. It is worth calling a repair team to assess the situation and make a decision on the necessity of reconstruction.
• The integrity of the roof. If the roof has got damaged due to an earthquake, it will affect the entire quality of life in the house. Leaks, drafts, reduced thermal efficiency are all associated with damage to the roof.
• Engineering communications. If they are damaged, it is best to call a repair team right away.
• Windows and doors in the house. There is nothing to say here - they are often damaged.
• External stairs and railings of balconies, terraces, verandas. In case of an earthquake, their fastenings can get damaged and the structures themselves can become dangerous.
• Internal furnishings. Broken furniture, broken mirrors and dishes are not uncommon when there are strong shocks. Household appliances and electronics, heating systems, water supply systems, electrical wiring may also be badly affected.

You can do a self-inspection or seek assistance from emergency services to detect signs of earthquake damage. It is also worth asking for a rescue report about the damage to your home immediately. And then, of course, you need to contact your insurance company.

Is Earthquake Damage Covered by HO3 Policy?

Unfortunately, in most states, earthquake loss and damage are not covered by a homeowners insurance policy. If you live in a risk zone, your insurer can offer you to buy an additional insurance policy to protect your home from earthquake damage. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that you will have to pay additionally for the confidence in the future and protection from earthquakes.