Hello World! Welcome Friends! On March 18, 2020, Salt Lake City, UT and surrounding areas were literally shaken by a 5.7 magnitude earthquake. This region has experienced earthquakes before, but not like this.
This is the highest magnitude earthquake on record for the Salt Lake City area, and it wasn’t over after the initial strike. Nearly 600 aftershocks were recorded on the University of Utah seismic network by March 26, including some events as large as magnitude 3. By mid-April, there had been several more aftershocks as large as 4.5 magnitude.
This event was something most area residents had never experienced before in their lives, and they weren’t ready. Thankfully, there were no major injuries or fatalities, but many homes and buildings sustained structural damage. Bricks, stones, statues, church spires, and more fell to the ground, and some foundations sustained large cracks.
Furthermore, more than 50,000 residents were without power due to damaged power lines. Thankfully, the mild spring weather left residents safe without heat or air conditioning, but it could have been much worse.
This unprecedented event should have gotten you thinking: “Would my home and property withstand an earthquake?”
Chances are, the answer is no. Along with structural issues, your home may not be equipped for power outages and food shortages if an event such as this were to occur again. It’s important to look at some ways that you can identify issues and shore up your property before your world is shaken again.
Check Out Your Property
Your beautifully landscaped backyard is at risk for future earthquakes. If you lived in the Salt Lake City area during the earthquake last spring, you likely saw damage to your hardscaped surfaces that needed repair.
To make sure your hardscaping is better equipped to handle future seismic events, Utah landscape company Asphalt Materials Inc. strongly recommends installing landscaping with safety in mind. This is specifically relevant to pools and water features.
Not only do you want to prevent someone from falling in, but you also want to prevent cracks and other damage that could flood your property or send dangerous debris flying across your yard in a wave of upset water!
Inspect Your Structure
Look for signs that your structure might not handle an earthquake well. These signs could even be the result of the most recent earthquake.
According to Salt Lake City masonry company, Abstract Masonry Restoration, there are a few key areas to check:
“To identify risks to life and safety, it is important to thoroughly inspect your masonry,” Abstract President and CEO Kevin Hadfield wrote in a blog post. “Pay special attention to your chimney, parapet wall (the wall that extends upward from the roofline), and cracked masonry. Carefully look for cracks in both your foundation and walls.”
Hadfield also recommends documenting everything with photos and descriptions to show to insurance adjusters and restoration experts.
Other red flags might include leaning walls, damaged roofing, cracks in your foundation, siding damage, and other exterior home problems. If you can spot these problems now before an earthquake occurs, it’s not likely your home will fare well in a future seismic event and you’ll want to consider making repairs.
Address the Power Supply
There are a few essentials that you need for a legally habitable and comfortable residence: sanitary conditions, good lighting, adequate climate control, functioning plumbing, and appliances. Many of these things require constant electrical or natural gas flow to work.
Unfortunately, power and gas lines are among the most vulnerable components of a city’s infrastructure if an earthquake occurs. Power companies will work restlessly to repair any problems as they occur, but you may be without power for some time.
Buying a generator is wise when preparing for future disasters. The generator doesn’t have to power your entire house, but if it can keep your freezer alive and the lights and air on in a couple of rooms, you’ll be okay during a power outage.
You can purchase generators that stand-alone and require extra connections to power certain rooms and appliances—this is a budget-friendly option. A more practical, but somewhat pricier option is a generator that plugs directly into your electrical box. You can switch on the circuits you need and switch the rest off to conserve energy.
Emergency Storage
Think about what else you might need if you experience another disaster. Every family should keep a good supply of emergency supplies on hand just in case they’re unable to leave their home or have limited resources during a natural disaster.
Food, water, and shelter are the key ingredients to staying alive during an event. Invest in enough water for both drinking and sponge bathing for each member of your family as well as dried goods to eat.
You’ll also want a few other items for your comfort and safety including extra clothing, first aid kit, flashlights, emergency blankets, water filtration systems, chairs, sleeping bags, etc. Research effective 72-hour kits to get a good idea of emergency supplies that will sustain you through another disaster.
Getting your home and property in shape won’t be an easy task, but it’ll be worth it. In the unlikely event that this will never happen again, you’ll at least have the peace of mind that you and your family will be safe if it does.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Weather Proofing Your Home’s Exterior
Things You Need To Know About Head Gasket
What Can You Do With Rainwater On Your Property
Is your Home Winterized for Cold Weather?
Favorites & Highlights – Top Posts of 2020
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Toodles,
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