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Philadelphians were treated to the tremors of a 4.8-magnitude earthquake Friday morning — a rare but not uncommon experience for East Coast denizens.
And while all that rumbling certainly caused a stir, experts say homeowners have little to fear when it comes to property damage.
“If things didn’t fall off the shelves or off the wall, the home has probably not experienced any noticeable damage at all,” said Fred Baumert, principal at regional structural engineering firm Keast & Hood.
That doesn’t completely rule out the possibility, said Baumert. Existing property damage can be exacerbated by an earthquake. But the earthquakes that the Philadelphia region experiences tend to be on the mild side, meaning they are less likely to cause any new damage to a home.
“Everyone hears the word earthquake and they think of what just happened in Taiwan,” said Baumert. “The ones here are thousands of times less intense.”
For Philly homeowners who want some peace of mind, experts suggest checking for cracks in plaster interior walls, as well as “stair step” cracks on exterior walls. Those are cracks that typically form in the corners of a foundation or from the corner of a window down to the foundation.
It also would be reasonable to check the home’s utilities to make sure everything is functioning properly. That includes checking the water lines and water heater, flushing toilets and turning faucets on and off.