The Earthquake Brace + Bolt Retrofit
Protecting Homes Built Before 1980 on Raised Foundations
A seismic retrofit, specifically the Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) method, is a critical structural upgrade designed to secure your home firmly to its concrete foundation. This specialized process involves “bolting” the house frame to the perimeter base and, where “cripple walls” exist in the crawl space, “bracing” them with high-quality structural plywood.
By implementing these vital reinforcements, you significantly reduce the risk of your home shifting, sliding, or collapsing off its foundation during a major earthquake. As an officially approved provider, we specialize in helping homeowners navigate the California Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) Program, which offers up to $3,000 in government rebates to help offset the costs of these essential safety improvements.
Our Core Retrofit Solutions
Brace and Bolt Retrofit
This comprehensive solution is specifically engineered for homes that feature “cripple walls”—the short wood-framed walls (typically 4 feet or less) located between the house’s wooden frame and its foundation within the crawl space.
- Structural Bracing: We install heavy-duty plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board) sheathing along the interior of the cripple walls. This creates a rigid “shear wall” effect that effectively resists the lateral (side-to-side) forces generated by seismic activity.
- Precision Bolting: Using industrial-grade anchor bolts or specialized foundation plates, we create a permanent, high-strength connection between the wood frame and the concrete stem wall, ensuring the house remains stable even during intense ground shaking.
Bolt-Only Retrofit
In many architectural designs, the wood frame of the house sits directly on the concrete foundation (known as a “stem wall”) without any intervening cripple walls. In these instances, a “bolt-only” retrofit is the most effective way to secure the structure.
- Foundation Anchoring: This process involves drilling and installing high-strength expansion bolts or chemical anchors through the sill plate into the concrete foundation. By strengthening this specific connection point, we eliminate the primary weakness where most homes tend to slide off their base during an earthquake, providing you with long-term structural integrity and peace of mind.
Essential Safety: Strapping the Water Heater
As part of the strict EBB compliance standards, your water heater must be professionally secured and braced. History has shown that during significant seismic events, unanchored water heaters are prone to moving or tipping over. This movement can lead to ruptured gas lines, broken water pipes, and damaged electrical wiring—all of which pose severe risks of fire, flooding, and costly property damage. We ensure your tank is double-strapped and anchored directly to the wall studs or floor, meeting all current California safety codes.
- Earthquake Country Alliance provides helpful resources for strapping and bracing your water heater.
The Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) Program
Understanding the EBB Grant Program
The Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) Program is a state-funded initiative created to help Californians strengthen their homes against seismic threats. The program offers eligible homeowners a grant of up to $3,000 to perform a residential seismic retrofit. It specifically targets older, wood-frame houses built before 1980, as these structures were often constructed before modern seismic building codes were established.
By participating in this program, you aren’t just protecting your physical property; you are also increasing your home’s market value and potentially reducing your earthquake insurance premiums. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that your retrofit meets every program requirement for a successful reimbursement.
How to Apply for the EBB Program? Step-by-Step
1. Verify Eligibility: Visit the official EBB website to confirm if your ZIP code and home type qualify for the current funding cycle.
2. Registration: Sign up during the designated open enrollment periods. We recommend staying updated on dates, as funding is often allocated quickly on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. Hire a Certified Expert: Select a licensed contractor with specific EBB training. Eco Home Compliance is a specialist in this field, with years of experience in EBB-compliant upgrades.
4. Execute the Retrofit: Once your application is approved, our team will complete the bracing and bolting work according to the strictly defined state engineering plans.
5. Finalize Your Grant: After the work is inspected and approved, we assist you in submitting the final documentation so you can receive your $3,000 reimbursement promptly.
Is your home ready for the Big One? Contact us today for a free consultation and let us help you secure your home and your EBB grant!
Need a trusted contractor for your earthquake retrofit? Eco Home Compliance & Foundation Repair specializes in EBB-approved seismic upgrades.
Contact us today to get a free consultation and start your retrofit process!
Comparison Overview
| Feature | Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) | Earthquake Soft-Story (ESS) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Target | Single-story or split-level homes. | Multi-story homes with a “weak” first floor. |
| Foundation Type | Raised Foundation (Crawl space). | Slab or Raised with living space over garage. |
| Key Vulnerability | House sliding off its foundation. | First-floor collapse (pancaking) under upper floors. |
| Common Retrofit | Bolting sill plates & bracing cripple walls. | Installing shear walls or steel moment frames. |
| Year Built | Primarily houses built before 1980. | Wood-frame houses built before 2000. |
| Grant Amount | Up to $3,000 rebate. | Up to $3,000 rebate. |