On Sunday (August 24, 2014) our garage door service area was impacted by a 6.0-magnitude earthquake. Our thoughts extend to those in our community whose homes and businesses are affected the most by this natural disaster.
Garage Door Safety is an important consideration following a strong seismic event. In 2010 the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety compiled a list of the Top 10 Structural Retrofits to reduce earthquake structural damage. Bracing garage door openings was number 10 on the list.
"Garages are particularly vulnerable to earthquake damage, and especially if there is living space above the garage. The narrow walls on either side of the garage opening must be able to support the seismic load that is transferred from the roof and additional living space above the garage (if one exists) into the foundation below. In order for these narrow walls to support this load, they must be properly braced. Bracing these walls is usually done by using steel bracing or specially detailed plywood panels as recommended by a registered professional engineer."
The complete article can be read at: https://www.disastersafety.org/blog/top-10-ways-to-reduce-the-risk-of-earthquake-damage/. Although Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service of Santa Rosa does not perform structural retrofits, we can inspect the moving parts of your garage door system.
Garage Door Components that should be inspected following an earthquake:
- Garage Door rollers and tracks
- Garage Door Panels for structural damage
- Garage Door opener - electrical connections, chain or rails
- Garage Door opener sensors
Again, we send the best regards to our Sonoma and Napa County communities!
