Strengthening floors will help create an earthquake resistant house
Recent earthquakes in California and globally are a stark reminder that pre-war older homes, and multi-story family homes like Victorians that are popular across Southern California, are susceptible to damage in an earthquake.
Repairing a damaged home after an earthquake can be expensive - to say nothing of the inconvenience of having to move out while repairs are underway. However, homeowners can act now to prevent damage that could result from the next earthquake.
Homes with strengthened floors are much less likely to be badly damaged in an earthquake, and it doesn't need to be a costly financial undertaking.
Retrofitting to prepare for earthquakes
Installing an adjustable floor lock system is a quick, easy and affordable option for homeowners to create a sturdy floor system, increasing the strength in the floors, which provides a higher resistance to any earthquake activity.
This provides an affordable retrofit option for homes with an old floor system, an older house, or even a multifamily rise building that is showing its weaknesses in some areas.
Bracing the joists with an adjustable floor lock system will help them perform, above and beyond what standard wood will do, to maintain the integrity of the floor and your home's structure.
Burmon Building Products patent pending Adjustable Floorlock Brace has revolutionized the way contractors and DIYers can prepare your home for an earthquake.
The advantage of an adjustable system is that it is adjustable across all different wooden floor systems, and can be fitted for 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-inch joist.
Mounting brackets are fixed to the joists with two high-capacity threaded tension rods inserted between the brackets to brace the joists.
The adjustable floor lock braces together once the correct tension is set in between joists, thereby eliminating all floor movement, and strengthening the floor.
Reduce damage caused by earthquakes
Many homes across Southern California, and in San Fransico in particular, are very prone to earthquake damage, due to the age of the homes, their angle on the streets and designs with living spaces over garages.
Generally, retrofitting will be required on homes built prior to 2000 when current earthquake standards were introduced. Retrofitting can also be useful for more modern homes due to construction of timber frames and timber flooring above on concrete foundations or sub-floor basements.
It is always best to prepare your home for an earthquake beforehand. Installing Adjustable Floorlock Braces not only brings deflective floors back to level, but they also provide enough strength to hold it over its foundation.
With the joists braced and the floor strengthen as a prevention there is a greater likelihood of your foundation maintaining its integrity in the event of an earthquake.
Braced joists are designed to resist side-to-side shaking in an earthquake and securely connect the floor to the home's concrete foundation.
DIY for an earthquake resistant house
Burmon Building Products patent pending Adjustable Floorlock Braces can be installed by a licensed contractor, or by a homeowner.
Each box is supplied with 10 sets, which consists of 20 individual tension rod bracing systems.
It includes 20 Individual fastening brackets for top and the bottom to affix to joists, including a template which will demonstrate where to place to mount on 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-inch joists.
All required screws for the mounting brackets are supplied as well as an installation guide. The end of the tension rods are 5/16-inch tip so you can use any common socket wrench, spanner, drill or impact driver.
All you need is a drill to fix the mounting brackets and tension the rods for an earthquake resistant house.
Watch our video to see how easy Floorlock is to install.
Want to try before you buy? Request a sample.