Identify Your Building’s Potential Weaknesses & Begin to Fix Them
Is your home strong enough to withstand an earthquake?
Use the following quiz to see if your home is likely to be so badly damaged in a future earthquake that people might be injured or that it would be unsafe to occupy. If your home scores above 17 on the quiz, you probably should have a structural engineer evaluate it unless it has been strengthened in the last few years. The engineer will check to see if your home is strong enough to keep you and your family reasonably safe in an earthquake by looking for the following:
Is your house properly connected to the foundation?
Is there plywood on the exterior walls of your house?
Are there anchors attaching the roof and floor systems to the walls?
Is your house constructed out of unreinforced masonry?
Do you have large openings like a garage door that may require better bracing?
The following quiz will help you to determine the adequacy of your house in resisting a seismic event. Once you have identified the areas requiring retrofitting, prioritize how and when to fix them, and get started. Local building departments and the Structural Engineers Association of Utah are excellent resources.
Structural-Safety Quiz for Homes and Other Buildings
1. When was your home built?
Before 1970 = 6 points
1970 – 1980 = 3 points
After 1980 = 1 point
2. How many stories and what style is your home?
2 or more stories above grade with stepped floors, split levels, or large openings in floors = 5 points
2 or more stories above grade with flat floors, no steps in the floor, and no large openings in floors = 3 points
1 story rambler above grade = 1 point
3. What is the construction material of the exterior walls?
Unreinforced masonry bearing walls = 7 points
Wood or reinforced masonry with full height brick veneer = 3 points
Wood or reinforced masonry = 1 point
4. What are the foundation walls constructed from?
Stacked rock or brick, with basement = 5 points
Stacked rock or brick, no basement = 3 point
Concrete, with or without basement = 1 point
Slab on grade, no basement = 0 points
5. Where is your house located? (see map, page 8)
[The example gives Ogden an 8. The map shows Mt Green 1 shade lighter than Ogden.]
Total points = __________
If your home scores 17 or more points on the quiz, you probably should have an engineer, architect, or contractor evaluate it.
EXAMPLES:
1. 1958, 1 story, unreinforced masonry, concrete foundation, Salt Lake City: 6+1+7+1+8 = 23
2. 1995, 2 story (flat), wood (brick veneer), concrete foundation, Ogden: 1+3+3+1+8 = 16
3. 2006, 2 story (large openings), wood, slab on grade, St. George: 1+5+1+0+3 = 10
Take a structural safety quiz for your home at http://ussc.utah.gov/publications/roots_earthquake.pdf (page 26 & 27).
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