Your home may be your single biggest investment, but it sits on a major earthquake fault zone. In 2005, emergency management experts drafted a scenario for a magnitude 6.7 earthquake on the Seattle Fault - their predictions:
Keep in mind that this scenario doesn't even address a 7.5 magnitude Seattle Fault earthquake, which is a real possibility. If your home was built before 1975, most insurers won't even issue you an earthquake policy unless your house has been retrofitted.
Studies show that seismic retrofitting an older house can protect against major structural damage from all three major types of earthquakes.
Your home can benefit from these improvements.
Computer rendering
Three types of quakes threaten the Puget Sound area. Each varies in severity and recurs at different time intervals:
However, Washington residents should not assume they have 35 to 1,000 years before the next earthquake jolts the state. "Protecting yourself and your property against the threat of an earthquake is not something you want to procrastinate about," said Bill Lokey, federal coordinating officer. "The Puget Sound area is associated with an earthquake hazard similar to that of Chile, Alaska or Japan, where the world's largest earthquakes occur. This hazard-potential is justification for anchoring your home and for taking other careful steps to reduce your risk."
Sound Seismic
7543 15th Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98117
Contractor's license # SOUNDSL836ND