Los puntos débiles comunes de una casa — y el trabajo que fortalece cada uno. Cuáles aplican depende de su casa; un contratista con licencia lo confirma después de ver la vivienda en persona.
Foundation bolting
Qué hace Anchors the wooden house frame to its concrete foundation with anchor bolts so it can't slide off in a quake.
Qué casas lo necesitan Older homes on a raised (crawl-space) foundation that were built before modern bolting was required.
Cripple-wall bracing
Qué hace Adds plywood bracing to the short stud walls between the foundation and the first floor so they don't buckle.
Qué casas lo necesitan Houses with a crawl space and unbraced 'cripple' walls — a very common weak point in older homes.
Soft-story strengthening
Qué hace Reinforces a weak ground level — usually an open garage or carport under living space — with a steel frame.
Qué casas lo necesitan Homes and small apartment buildings with a tuck-under garage or large open first floor.
Hurricane straps & roof tie-downs
Qué hace Metal connectors tie the roof to the walls and the walls to the foundation so high winds can't peel them off.
Qué casas lo necesitan Homes in hurricane, high-wind, and severe-storm zones, especially older wood-frame houses.
Chimney & water-heater bracing
Qué hace Braces an unreinforced masonry chimney and straps the water heater so they don't topple or rupture a gas line.
Qué casas lo necesitan Almost any older home — these are low-cost fixes that prevent fire, gas leaks, and falling-debris injuries.
Garage & wall reinforcement
Qué hace Adds shear panels and hold-downs at weak wall lines so the structure resists side-to-side shaking and wind.
Qué casas lo necesitan Homes with large openings, wide windows, or additions that left a wall line under-supported.