SAN PEDRO, CA: Silva Construction (https://silvaconstruction.com), a construction and remodeling company in the South Bay area of Southern California, is urging homeowners to take advantage of the Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program, which gives out grants of $3,000 to qualified homeowners towards a seismic retrofit.
In a brace + bolt retrofit, the frame of the house is bolted to the foundation. This helps prevent the house from sliding or toppling off its foundation during an earthquake.
Earthquake retrofitting is the process of upgrading the fittings that connect a home to its foundation. In extreme cases it would also include repairing the foundation if damage is already present. This is done so that a home can better withstand the damage from an earthquake, as it has often been observed that homes which have been properly retrofitted are left standing after an earthquake, whereas homes that have had no retrofitting can become so damaged that the homeowners have to relocate.
David Clarke, co-owner of Silva Construction, stated “The most common reason a home needs retrofitting for its foundation is it’s an older home. Homes built before 1980 often need retrofitting, and homes built before 1940 uniformly need to be brought up to modern code. Buildings in an area that more frequently experiences earthquakes may need routine inspection to see if there is any structural damage, though a properly retrofitted home is more likely to withstand earthquakes and not need further maintenance.”
“As far as whether your home would need retrofitting, it is entirely dependent on the age of the home, changes in building codes, and the quality of the original foundation fittings. If a home’s foundation was built to proper code and with good quality materials, it may not need retrofitting. Silva Construction can do an inspection to determine if you need retrofitting,” concluded Clarke.
Homeowners can go to https://www.earthquakebracebolt.com/ to see if their home qualifies for the EBB grant.
David Clarke and Brenda Silva are owners of Silva Construction, Inc., located in San Pedro, CA. The company has over 40 years of experience in remodeling construction, and serves Southern California’s South Bay area, including Westchester, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, San Pedro, Hermosa Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Harbor City, Lomita, Torrance, and other select areas. Their blog can be seen at https://silvaconstruction.com/blog3/ and their website can be seen at https://silvaconstruction.com/. They can be reached at 310-831-6310.
