How to Earthquake-Proof Your Home
- Lower breakables. Design an earthquake-friendly kitchen by placing your breakables on lower shelves and drawers.
- Drawers over cabinets.
- Employ childproof locks.
- Secure the furniture.
- Hang low.
- Brace, bracket, and mount.
People also ask, how do you earthquake proof cabinets?
To prevent cabinet doors from flying open, install one of the following types of latches:
- Hook and eye – inexpensive; you may not close it every time.
- Standard latch – mounts to the front of the door; you may not close it every time.
- Pull/throwover – closes automatically; mounts to the front of the door.
Similarly, how do you secure items on a shelf? If you don’t want to alter the look of your shelves with boards or rails, a great way to secure delicate items to a shelf is to use what is called museum or mounting putty. This affordable, adhesive putty can be found at just about any home supply store.
Just so, how do you make a bookshelf earthquake proof?
Tips
- Attach barrier strips to the front of the shelves on the bookcase to prevent books from falling off during an earthquake.
- Place museum wax or gel onto the bottom of heavy items stored on the bookcase to prevent them from falling off.
- Attach large items to bookcase shelves with heavy-duty Velcro.
How does a push to open latch work?
The point of a handle is to be able to open and close a cupboard door, and push to open latches do just that, but better! This enables the user to simply push the door lightly and the door pops open, then push the door back into place and the magnetic push catch holds it closed.
9 Related Question Answers Found
How do you secure a bookshelf to the wall?
Steps Use a stud finder to mark where the wall studs are. Mark your bookshelf’s height onto the wall. Make 2 marks 8 inches (20 cm) below the first marking. Drill holes into the areas marked for the brackets. Secure the metal bracket anchors into place. Screw 2 brackets into the bookcase’s top trim.
What are earthquake straps?
Earthquake straps prevent water heaters from falling over and ripping loose gas lines during an earthquake. It’s best to have heavy steel straps top and bottom, with blocking behind the tank if there is any space between it and the wall, and the straps lagged into wall studs.
What is QuakeHOLD?
The QuakeHOLD! Museum Putty can be used to secure breakables and collectibles to prevent them from moving during an earthquake. The putty is removable and reusable for convenience.
How do you secure furniture for an earthquake?
Secure the furniture item to the wall stud. Locate the wall studs using a stud finder. Secure each furniture piece to at least two wall studs, depending on size and weight, using either a wood screw (choose a screw length appropriate for the piece of furniture) or commercially available kits utilizing nylon strapping.
How do you secure a china cabinet to the wall?
L-Brackets Move the curio cabinet away from the wall and locate the studs behind it. Attach the long part of a metal L-bracket to the top of your curio cabinet by drilling a hole and using wood screws to secure it. Attach the short end of the L-bracket to a stud.
How do you anchor furniture to a wall?
Furniture restraints, also called anchoring kits, are typically comprised of two brackets tethered by a strap or cable. One bracket screws directly into the piece of furniture; the other fastens into a stud in the wall. The connecting strap or cable is typically affixed to each bracket, then tightened in place.
How do you keep books from falling off shelves?
Simply fold the paper in half long ways, then fold it in half short ways, and make a cut halfway through the paper as demonstrated. Then fold it into a box corner and tape it. Now you can insert it into the last book on your shelf and the weight from the book—and books next to it—will hold everything in place.
How do you make a picture frame earthquake proof?
Securing artwork, pictures, and mirrors Use a stud finder to find the closest wall stud. Screw a screw hook (or a commercially available earthquake picture hanger) into the wall stud so that there is barely enough room to slide the framing wire between the wall and the hook.
How do you anchor a curio cabinet?
Screw a 2 1/2 inch screw into the back of the curio cabinet where the studs are located. The screws should be 4 inches from the top of the cabinet and four inches from the bottom. Wrap the wire lanyard around the screw on both the cabinet and the wood ledger board. Tighten the screws and pull the wire tight.