Serving Vancouver Island, Victoria, Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach
Serving Vancouver Island, Victoria, Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach
1-855-206-4811Island Basement Systems Case Studies: Seismic Upgrades
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Bolting the bottom plate to the concrete foundation before the spray foam insulation is installed.
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Plywood attached to the cripple wall studs provides shear resistance. Doing this at the same time as the spray foam insulation is being installed allows for racking strenght, air sealing, and better thermal bridging resistance too.
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On the crawlspace portion of the home, typically the spray foam and the sheathing are installed at the same time, so the insulation and air sealing becomes a part of the seismic upgrades.
Challenge
This project was a combination basement & crawlspace remediation with seismic upgrades. A 1960's home in the VicWest area, and the owner realized that if they were going to make their home more energy efficient and deal with the moisture issues, that it would be a good idea to also upgrade their seismic resistance at the same time.
By following the prescriptive Simpson Strong-Tie retrofit program, we can offer seismic upgrades in conjunction with our waterproofing and/or energy efficiency work. It makes sense!
Solution
The Simpson Strong-Tie program is a prescriptive program for one and two story homes.
Anchor the bottom of the framed wall to the concrete foundation.
Provide additional shear resistance.
Strengthen the connection between the main floor and the foundation.
And combine those steps with the basement & crawlspace remediation.
