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glatt · 08-24-2011, 11:23 AM

In hindsight, I'm really pretty damn pleased with how our house fared in the earthquake. Our house is unreinforced masonry construction. The absolute worst type of building to be in when there is an earthquake. This earthquake was the biggest one in this area in something like 150 years. I know you can't predict quakes, but there probably won't be another one this size in this area in my lifetime.

I've been slightly worried about our house in an earthquake ever since we bought the place, and we survived this one with flying colors. A couple hairline cracks in the interior plaster walls got a little more defined, and a couple hanging pictures were a little askew, but that's it. Oh, and one of the (many) squeaky floorboards got a little squeakier.

I was sure that a newly acquired family heirloom antique clock on the top shelf of one of our bookcases would be laying on the floor in pieces when we got home, but it hadn't budged.

I don't understand it. Maybe we are on a pocket of clay that dampens the vibrations or something. Who knows? But this POS house made it through the worst quake since it was built without any problems. Sweet.

08-24-2011, 11:23 AM	#35
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	In hindsight, I'm really pretty damn pleased with how our house fared in the earthquake. Our house is unreinforced masonry construction. The absolute worst type of building to be in when there is an earthquake. This earthquake was the biggest one in this area in something like 150 years. I know you can't predict quakes, but there probably won't be another one this size in this area in my lifetime. I've been slightly worried about our house in an earthquake ever since we bought the place, and we survived this one with flying colors. A couple hairline cracks in the interior plaster walls got a little more defined, and a couple hanging pictures were a little askew, but that's it. Oh, and one of the (many) squeaky floorboards got a little squeakier. I was sure that a newly acquired family heirloom antique clock on the top shelf of one of our bookcases would be laying on the floor in pieces when we got home, but it hadn't budged. I don't understand it. Maybe we are on a pocket of clay that dampens the vibrations or something. Who knows? But this POS house made it through the worst quake since it was built without any problems. Sweet.