Friday, January 29, 2010

After the Shake --- Eureka's January 10th Earthquake!

Humboldt County got a good shaking on Jan 10th with a magnitude 6.5 earthquake. The quake was centered in the Pacific Ocean northwest of Ferndale, but it came ripping into Eureka.  The little redwood house was rocked.  It's now been several weeks and the damage, which initially appeared minor, has become clear and more widespread, but ever so subtle.

The post and pier foundation was suspect to begin with and we had budgeted some funds for foundation repairs. But after the house shifter northward while the foundation stayed put, a large number of the post were moved on their piers and the pier were pushing the house skirting outward.

Our neighbor's house took a nose dive and is rapidly headed for the street.  Here is a picture of the County Sheriff looting the house.

The only houses that seemed to take a beating were the old post and pier foundations – anything with a moderately current foundation came through just fine.

It's now looking like we will be the proud owners of a new foundation in both the house and the carriage house.  Eureka has some of the finest experts and putting houses back on their foundations.  I'm looking forward to seeing our little house jacked-up and getting a shinning new foundation. You will love the pictures.

2 comments:

  1. Our house on Pine Street, on the other side of Wabash from you, came through okay. Several of the piers were replaced with sunken, cast in place piers and a full earthquake tie-down had been done in the early 90's. Even the corner I had jacked up and on blocks didn't have a problem.

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  2. Holy Schmoley.

    Gotta get back under our house and finish the earthquake retrofitting!!!!

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