What does a Box of Cereal and the Earthquake have to do with YOUR Home?

We have all had that experience where we open a brand new box of cereal and find what appears to be most of it GONE already!  WHAT? Did they not pack enough cereal into my box? And then we read, "some settling of contents may have occurred during the handling and shipping" and we realize, it just compacted and the right amount of cereal is there, it just take less space. So what does all of this have to do with the earthquake?

On November 30, 2017, the East Coast of the United States experienced an exceptionally rare earthquake measuring a 4.1. This earthquake centered off the coast of Dover, DE and there were reports of windows shaking as far away as Washington, DC. One Dover resident's description of the earthquake is that he "felt the house shake violently." (Washington Post) There were also reports of broken glass doors in Bowers Beach (WRDE). Earthquakes of any size, even smaller ones like we experienced here on DelMarVa and the surrounding area can have the same effect on the soil around your home as handling and shipping can have on the box of cereal. Settling soils CAN and DO impact your home's foundation.

Earthquakes can have a dramatic impact on the 'active zone' of soil around your home. The 'active zone' is that area of earth directly beneath and around your home that was disturbed by the pouring of your foundation or basement which may not have been completely compressed and compacted. This fill soil could have been rapidly compressed due to the shaking action of the earthquake.

How can you know if your home was impacted by the earthquake? Here are some telltale signs to look for:

Stair step cracking outside your home

Chimney pulling away from your home

Doors and windows out of square

Doors and windows pulling away from framing or finishing

Drywall cracks

    Sticking floors or windows

There are solutions to the problems potentially caused by this earthquake or normal ground settlement. Contact us for the best solutions for your home!