earthquakes: Articles tagged with “earthquakes”

If you're planning to reinforce your home against earthquakes, it's essential to understand some of the basic concepts of seismic retrofitting.

The stresses that an earthquake creates for a structure can cause damage or even complete collapse. Here are some ways you can retrofit and strengthen your home to reduce the problems that might be caused by an earthquake.

Metal roofing is an innovative approach to home improvement. When you think of a metal roof, you would often think of a commercial building. Fortunately for homeowners, that's no longer the case. In addition to the many technical benefits of metal roofing, it can be designed to look like conventional shingles, tile or slate. Visual appeal is one of the cosmetic reasons that someone may choose metal roofing. It can be light in color compared to other material, which is not always the norm. But it never hurts to lighten up, right?

Tile roofs initially cost a lot more to install than asphalt shingle or wood shake roofs but they also last much longer. Depending on the quality, a tile roof may last 50 years or more. Traditional clay tile is very heavy, sometimes requiring structural reinforcement. However, many tile roofing materials are now offered in new light weight versions which can be used on most structures without reinforcement.

Q: What kinds of plumbing emergencies could occur that a homeowner should know about? What should we do while waiting for the plumber?

Yurts were designed originally by the Mongolians for steppes housing in the severe climate of that northern Asian land. Yurts are the oldest form of prefab indigenous architecture still in use today.

Houses have been built with wood for hundreds of years, and lumber is by far the most popular framing material for homes. However, a dwindling supply of old growth trees and environmental concerns have steadily increased the price of wood while quality has declined. Steel framing studs, which have been used to frame commercial buildings for generations, are now available for use in homes at more affordable prices. When deciding between steel and wood framing, compare the pros and cons of both materials.