Everyone knows that San Francisco is prime real estate for earthquakes. Too often we forget to take the necessary precautions to make sure our homes are safe. Part of good interior decorating is safety for yourself, your family and your guests. The first step is to decorate your home so that you love the way it looks and feels. Then evaluate your home for areas of danger.
Write down a list that includes the number of your tall furniture pieces, your appliances, your pictures, and your cabinet doors. Your local hardware store will sell straps for your furniture and appliances, closed hooks for your hanging pictures, putty for items on shelves and latches for your cabinet doors.
You will also need a stud finder, an electric drill/screwdriver, a ladder and a box of various sized wood screws.
The objective is to attach all large and tall furniture to the studs inside the walls. This prevents the furniture from toppling forward during a quake. In most cases straps are hidden on the top and back side of furniture. Locate the studs in the wall first and mark the locations with a pencil. Position the wall side of the strap over the stud and screw it to the stud using long wood screws. Attach the furniture side of the strap to the top back of the furniture. Use wood screws that will not come through the woods inside finish. Book straps should be mounted two inches from the top edges of the books. You can attach the straps to the inside front face of the bookcase. For a bookcase you have to attach the furniture and then restrain the books.
Use children's latches on your cabinet doors to keep them closed during a quake. Attach similar latches on appliance doors such as the fridge or microwave. Use appliance straps on the fridge and brackets for the microwave.
Use museum putty to hold down decorative objects that are placed on shelves. The putty will not damage the objects but will hold the objects to the shelves. Hang pictures with a locking type fastener that traps the wire or hanger preventing it from falling.
California provides a free readiness guide to all residents with great tips on how to make your home earthquake ready. This is a wonderful resource that shows you exactly how to prepare so that when a quake comes you will know what to do to take care of yourself and your family.
Tips: Move tall furniture away from beds and where people sit. Don't hang pictures with glass near beds. Check your straps every time you change parts of your decor. Keep extra straps, brackets, hangers and putty on hand to use when you add new items.
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