5 Simple Earthquake Upgrades to Make Your Home Safer

When people think about earthquake damage, they often picture buildings collapsing. But many of the hazards inside a home are much more ordinary: a bookcase tipping over, a television falling, a picture frame breaking, or dishes spilling out of a kitchen cabinet.

In one analysis of injuries from the Loma Prieta earthquake, about 95% did not involve structural collapse. Falling or overturning furniture, objects and broken glass were among the hazards that injured people.

Here are five relatively simple earthquake safety upgrades I made inside my own home to reduce those risks.

1. Secure Framed Pictures

A framed picture may not seem particularly dangerous, but during strong shaking it can fall from the wall and leave broken glass on the floor.  Cuts occur frequently after an earthquake.

I secured framed pictures using inexpensive KidSafe Picture Hangers. They are designed so the picture cannot simply bounce off the hook during an earthquake.

This is especially worth considering for pictures located:

• Above beds
• Above couches and chairs
• Along hallways and evacuation routes
• Anywhere broken glass could create a hazard after an earthquake

It is a small upgrade, but also one of the easiest places to start.

2. Strap Your TV

Modern televisions can be surprisingly easy to tip over because they are large, thin and often sitting on relatively narrow stands.

I secured my television using inexpensive earthquake safety straps.

Depending on the strap design, the TV can be attached to the furniture beneath it or anchored to the wall. The important thing is to prevent the television from becoming a large falling object during strong shaking.

This is particularly important if you have children, pets, or a large television positioned where someone might normally sit or walk.

3. Anchor Bookcases to the Wall

Tall bookcases are another major indoor earthquake hazard. Even a sturdy bookcase can tip when the floor begins moving back and forth.

For my bookcases, I used earthquake straps to anchor them to the wall, making them much less likely to topple.

The anchor needs to be attached securely to the wall rather than simply screwed into drywall.

If you aren’t comfortable doing this yourself, this is also the type of project where hiring a handyman can make sense. You can have several bookcases, cabinets and other pieces of furniture secured during the same visit.

4. Secure Vases, China and Other Breakables

Not everything needs to be mechanically attached to the wall.

For smaller objects such as vases, china, trophies and collectibles, I use QuakeHOLD Museum Putty underneath the object. The putty helps keep an item attached to the shelf or tabletop while remaining removable and reusable.

For objects that I expect to leave in one place for a long time, another option is QuakeHOLD Museum Wax. The clear wax is less noticeable and is intended for longer-term placement, although heat can soften it.

Your choice can depend on the object and the surface underneath it. Museum putty is convenient when you may want to move or reposition an item, while clear museum wax can work particularly well when appearance and long-term placement are priorities.

Either approach is an inexpensive way to keep small breakables from becoming falling objects—or broken glass—during an earthquake.

5. Install Earthquake Cabinet Latches

Kitchen cabinets can contain dozens of glasses, dishes and other breakable objects. During an earthquake, cabinet doors can swing open and dump their contents onto you or the floor.

I installed SAFE-T-PROOF earthquake-activated cabinet latches to help keep my dishes and glassware inside my high cabinets during strong shaking. One disadvantage is that these latches need to be manually reset after they activate.

An interesting alternative is the Japanese Murakoshi earthquake latch. It automatically locks the cabinet during strong earthquake shaking and then automatically releases afterward.

Automatic earthquake latches are particularly useful because they don’t interfere with the normal opening and closing of your cabinets. Most of the time, you don’t even notice they are there.

Start With the Hazards Around You

You don’t have to earthquake-proof your entire home in one weekend.

Walk through your house and ask a simple question:

What could fall, tip over, break, or open during strong shaking?

Start with the hazards near beds, couches, desks and other places where people spend a lot of time. Then work through the rest of the house.

Securing pictures, televisions and bookcases, protecting breakables, and adding cabinet latches are all relatively simple improvements that can make your home safer when the next earthquake strikes.

California Home Resilience focuses on practical home-safety improvements you can make before an earthquake, power outage or other emergency.  

To learn what we think are the best earthquake kits are for your home click here.