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Gas Valve Source home for a $69 Seismic Safety actuated Automatic Gas
Shut Off Valve Little Firefighter San Francisco Bay Area
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es for Seismic Safety Automatic Gas Shut
Off Valve,San Francisco, Bay Area
ARTICLES
"The most common cause of earthquake-related
fires is broken gas lines"
(USGS earthquake hazards program - Northern California
6-14-2000)
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The Berkeley Daily Planet
About the House: The Truth About Seismic Gas Shut-Off
Valves
By Matt Cantor (10-13-06)
The anniversary of the Loma Prieta is upon us once again
and still so little has been done to prepare for our earthquake.
Thats right. Loma Prieta wasnt ours. It was
in the mountains of Watsonville nearly 100 miles to the
south.
The way the news media works tends to blow things out
of proportion and if you watched the news following that
quake, it made it seems as the though it were 1906 all
over again. It wasnt. That quake was devastating
for the very few houses that were nearby and it actually
threw a few houses in the mountains near the epicenter
several feet (or yards) from their foundations. Also,
the downtown of Santa Cruz nearly collapsed and it was
some miles away.
We were so much further away that even brittle structures
like chimneys were barely affected in most of the Berkeley/Oakland
area.
When we think about failures like the Bay Bridge and
the Cypress structure, its easy to imagine that
Loma Prieta was like a Big One but for us it wasnt
even close. These structures, as well as houses located
in the Jiggly-land of the Marina district in S.F. are
true exceptions and should not be how we gauge failure.
When the Hayward finally slips, it might be several thousand
times the shaking force of Loma Prieta for us.
Berkeley seems to get its share of Richter scale
4s and something closer to a 5 once in a great while.
Most of us have never experienced anything more than about
a 4 in Berkeley and that would be about 1/30,000 of the
size of a Richter 7 in the same place. Most people assume
that the Richter scale of seismic magnitude is a decimal
scale with each number being 10 times greater than the
last. It is, in fact, a logarithmic scale with each number
being about 30 times that of the last, so a 6 is about
1,000 times that of a 4 and a 7 is about 30,000 time the
same.
So its a fair statement to say that the East Bay
hasnt really been hit by an earthquake of any significance
since long before the oldest houses now standing were
built.
Now, this doesnt mean that you cant retrofit
a house and withstand the shaking force of an earthquake.
Theres a lot of science going on today that says
that we can, in fact, built to withstand really big earthquakes
and we can also retrofit houses to withstand a large force.
So like Nike says, Just Do It. It aint
all that much money and its better than giving it
to the insurance companies (although youre welcome
to do that TOO if you insist
and if you believe
theyll be able to pay up after its all gone
down, so to speak).
Now, Im not going to go into a whole retrofitting
thing today and in my usual circuitous fashion, Im
finally getting around to the point Ill like to
make, that being, that in an earthquake, its fire
that you need fear most of all.
Its actually quite unlikely that youre going
to die by being crushed under the weight of a falling
building during an earthquake. These wooden packing crates
we house ourselves in, seem generally to stay fairly intact
during even very large earthquakes, although they may
have crushed the basement or crawlspace in the process
(so the basement might not be the best place to be). BUT,
when gas lines break, they can fill up the interiors of
houses, basement or garages and result in explosions and
fires.
If you followed the damage done during the Northridge
earthquake near L.A. in 1994, you know that most of the
damage was done by fires caused by gas explosions. Water
heaters were found everywhere except where theyd
been installed and some were found 30 feet away. Although
data is harder to gather on the 1906, it looks as though
a significant portion of damage was also caused by the
same thing.
This is why two special laws have been enacted in California
in the past decade. One regarding the strapping of water
heater and one regarding automatic seismic gas shut-off
valves. The first is state-wide and pertains to the sale
of all houses. A homeowner is required to properly (theres
a magical word if ever there was one) strap the water
heater prior to delivery to the new owner. This is almost
never done right and you can get a document from the state
that has nice clear drawing that will clearly show just
how wrong your strapping might be.
The second law applies to the city of Los Angeles and
is the first in the nation to require the insulation of
an automatic seismic gas shut-off valve on any house being
sold. Hooray for L.A.
Allstate insurance is apparently beginning to make the
installation of some type of gas safety valve a requirement
for their customers and I think thats a good thing.
I also think that L.A. and Allstate are not going to be
isolated in these requirements for long. Alameda county
has a toothless law that Ive never seen enforced
in any way as does Marin and Contra Costa.
Although these laws (mostly dating from the early 2000s)
havent seen much daylight yet, Im happy to
say that I think its just a matter of time. It wouldnt
surprise me in the least if Berkeley, Oakland or El Cerrito
started making these devices requisite on new construction
any time now.
These devices fall into two categories. There is a seismically
activated type which responds to shaking force and a flow
type which senses excessive flow.
The first type usually contains a ball which rests in
a socket of some sort. When shaking hits 5.4 on the Richter
scale, the ball falls out and a mechanism of some sort
triggers the valve to close. Its actually very simple.
Most of the valves sold today have some sort of reset
device built right onto the valve so that you can take
a little screwdriver and turn your gas back on. Be sure
to get help and check the whole house thoroughly, including
the crawlspace at the time to reactivate the gas. Utility
reps will be in short supply so youd best be able
to do this yourself after weve had a quake.
The second type is designed to sense breakages in the
piping. When we run the stove and the water heater and
the dryer, we still only allow for a limited rate of flow
through the main pipe. When a pipe breaks completely,
the flow will be greater than that and this is what these
valves sense. When this occurs they plug shut. Its
another simple mechanism that involves a spring loaded
plug that requires enough wind to drag to the shut position.
I dont favor these for us due to the fact that you
can get many small breaks in your gas piping and not set
them off. When an earthquake occurs, a seismically activated
valves will go off regardless of the size or number of
leaks created.
There are a number of valves that are approved and most
are quite cheap (mostly under $100). The Little Firefighter
is a favorite of mine, although I also like the Northridge
and the Vanguard. You can search
them online and you can also check out our own Berkeley
supplier, gasvalvedoctor.com. Boaz Levanda (843-3275)
is a nice chap wholl be happy to sell you one. Hes
also been a one man legal squad trying to get the permit
requirements reduced so that they can be installed for
fewer bucks.
A plumber is the right person to install such a device
and the cost seems to be around $200-$300 for installation
(plus the valve). Its usually quite simple but can
be more complex in some cases. If youre in a condo
or apartment complex, youll need one for each unit.
So, If you have only $300 or $400 to spend on earthquake
preparedness and dont want to put a single bolt
into anything, please, oh please go get one of these.
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MARTINEZ
NEWS-GAZETTE
Board of Supervisors Move to Prevent Earthquake Fires
Thursday, March 23, 2000, By Michael T. Moseley
NEWS-GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
"What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult
for each other?" Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors'
chairperson Donna Gerber read this George Elliot Quote before
the March 21 meeting and then set out to "make it so."
After passing all but two of the consent items as amended by the
Board; discussing pitch canker (a disease that plagues Northern
California pine trees authorizing the hiring of 25 additional
Sheriff officers to perform perimeter screening for the eight
County Court buildings; voting to renew lease/option agreements
for two Concord facilities; allocating a use for the Bureau of
Justice Local Law Enforcement Block Grant; and arguing over whether
or not the new policy for appointment procedures of the Board
in making assignments of members to various other boards actually
clarified the seemingly clear current policy, the Board got down
to a hotter, shakier subject - preventing the inevitable fires
that follow earthquake activity.
Carlos Baltodano, Director of Building Inspection, proposed an
ordinance that would require new construction and remodeling of
structures in the unincorporated area to install one of two types
of gas shut-off valves.
"Statistics show that there is a 70%
chance that 'the big one,' an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude,
is probable within the next 30 years," Bartodano argued.
"This is based on a geological survey of the area."
Bartodano went on to explain that up until now residents were
advised to keep a crescent wrench next to the shut-off valve on
their gas line so that if an earthquake did occur, the homeowner
could rush to the valve, find the wrench and turn off the gas
before a fire or explosion. Not a very likely scenario.
Baltonado proposed two different types of relatively inexpensive
automatic shut-off valves to be required: a seismic valve (costing
between $250 and $300) and excess flow valve (costing around $99).
The seismic valve would automatically shut off the gas for any
quake that registered 5.1 or higher. The excess flow valve is
designed to shut off the gas whenever it detects a leak or breakage
in the line.
Contra Costa County Fire Chief Keith Richter
approved of the valves. "I hope that homeowners would see
it as relatively cheap insurance against fire after an earthquake,"
he told the Board. "I like them because they are passive
devices that require no action by the homeowner to activate. We
know that fires can and will start after a quake." He went on to say that with the use of these shut-off valves,
and their subsequent prevention of after-quake fires, the fire
department can better use their personal in the rescue efforts
that are sure to follow.
Director Baltodano went on to explain that the valves are tantamount
to smoke detectors and can be easily reset by the homeowner once
the danger is past.
Supervisor Gioia cautioned that PG&E is "taking a neutral
stance on the seismic meter" which has been known in the
past to be set off by heavy equipment trucks passing in the area.
Bartodano assured the Board that the newer models have been constructed
to prevent such malfunctions.
The Board main concern was voiced by Supervisor Gerber. "Supervisors
are not going to promote one manufacturer over the another,"
she said. Bartodano assured the Board that a list of manufacturers
for both types of valves would be supplied and that only the types
of shut-off valves were required, not the brands.
Before the vote on whether or not to pass the ordinance took place,
Supervisor Gioia added the stipulation that, if passed, the proposal
would be forwarded to the Mayor's Conference for consideration
by the City of Martinez.
The ordinance passed unanimously and will take effect in 60 days.
For more information on the valves, contact the Building Inspection
Department. |
LOS ANGELES TIMES
No Gas Shut-Off Valve Yet? The Clock's Ticking (selected paragraphs)
SUNDAY, MAY 2, l999, REAL Estate Part K. Page
1
By Julie Tamaki
TIMES STAFF WRITER
Time is running out for thousands of Los Angeles homeowners to
comply with a city ordinance that requires that they equip their
homes with automatic gas shut-off valves to prevent fires from
erupting during or after an earthquake.
The ordinance calls for all buildings including single-family
homes, that contain gas piping in the city of Los Angeles to be
equipped with a gas shutoff valve either within one year of the
close of escrow or, in the case of new buildings, at the time
of construction. The law also applies to remodels of $10,000 or
more.
Installation prices may also escalate, for example, if home's
gas meter is in an underground vault or if the piping is badly
corroded, experts warn.
Potential complications aside, shutoff valves have won endorsements
from seismic experts because of their ability to cut off gas flow
in pipes during the kind of violent shaking that occurs in a magnitude
5 or greater earthquake.
About half of the 51 gas-related fires after
the Northridge earthquake would have been prevented by the valves.
"One of the dangers of an earthquake is that it can cause
gas piping to break, lead to leakage of gas and cause an explosion
or fire in a building at the very time when emergency response
resources are most strained…"
In the wake of the devastating fires that swept though Kobe, Japan
after the earthquake in 1995, L.A. city Councilman Hal Bernson
sponsored a measure requiring Installation of shut-off valves
in all newly built structures and apartment and commercial remodels
of $10,000 or more. |
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Quake-Proof Your Home Before the Shaking Starts
SUNDAY, July 16,2000, Real Estate
part K, page 1
By LIZ PIILUAM WESTON
TIMES STAFF WRITER
University of California engineers demonstrated graphically
last week how ordinary household objects can become killers
in an earthquake.
'The engineers simulated the 1994 Northridge earthquake's impact
on a model home, using a 6-by-20-foot 'shake table' to reproduce
that 6.7 temblor's massive horizontal motion. While the structure
survived intact, heavy furniture and electronics were sent flying.
A television shot out of an entertainment center a stereo speaker
tumbled from a shelf onto a child's bed, a heavy hot water heater
crashed to the ground and a file cabinet fell over.
Then there was all the other damage: picture frames that tumbled
from walls, glasses and plates that shattered, flowerpots list
slid off window boxes and crashed to the ground.
All this happened in a few seconds-far too quickly for anyone
to react or get out of the way.
The engineers made the point that the wreckage was unnecessary.
For less than $200 and a few hours of work, most Southern California
homes can be made much safer in an earthquake A somewhat larger
investment-say $300 to $3000-could help save your financial
investment in your home.
The issue of containing earthquake losses is more than academic
for Californians. Homeowners insurance does not cover damage
from earthquakes. Four out of five Californians don't have earthquake
insurance, and most of those who do have 15% deductibles, which
means that the homeowner pays for the first $35,000 of damage
to a home that is insured for $200,000.
Modern earthquake insurance also typically has low limits on
coverage, typically replacing only $5,000 of furniture electronics
and other possessions yet many Californians do nothing to protect
their lives and their property from earthquake damage. The reasons
seem to be a deep-seated sense of denial, said Mark Leonard,
spokesman for the California Earthquake Authority, the state-rum
insurance pool that is conducting consumer research on the issue.
Californians seem to be largely divided into two groups--those
who are risk adverse and those who aren't. Leonard said. Those
who aren't are unlikely to take any steps to protect themselves.
"They don't believe themselves to be at risk," said
Leonard. "In focus groups, they will actually say things
like, 'I won't be at home when the earthquake hits' or 'We've
already had our earthquake "-as if earthquakes are a predictable
or once-in-a-lifetime event.
Some earthquake protection measures cost little or nothing.
Moving heavy objects from high shelves to lower ones can minimize
damage, for example, as can positioning beds away from windows,
to protect occupants from flying glass. Removing glass from
bedrooms and not hanging pictures or heavy items over beds is
another free safety measure. Finding the locations of shut-off
valves for gas, water and electricity takes only a little hunting
(or a call to the utility for help).
Other solutions are relatively low cost Heavy furniture such
as bookcases entertainment centers and free-standing cabinets
can he bolted or strapped to wall studs. Hardware stores and
home improvement centers sell a variety of L shaped braces and
heavy nylon straps for $15-to $20 each that can be used. The
straps include Velcro pads that may eliminate the need to drill
holes in the furniture.
By California law, water heaters must be strapped to wall studs
at the top and bottom using metal tape.
It's important that heavy items be secured to studs, not simply
to the drywall or other relatively thin wall covering. Hardware
stores have inexpensive stud finders that use magnets to detect
nails in the underlying studs; since the magnets also detect
galvanized pipe and metal conduit, some cross-checking is needed.
Such stores also carry more expensive electronic versions that
measure wall density. Electronic equipment should also be secured.
Lightweight nylon strap kits that cost $10 to $15 each are available
for computers, televisions, stereos and home office equipment.
Cabinet latches used in childproofing typically cost less than
$1 each and can keep dishes, cutlery, pantry supplies and the
contents of the medicine cabinet from spilling onto the floor.
Safeguarding hanging pictures can be cheap or expensive. The
cheapest solution is to simply remove any glass-covered framed
objects from the home. A more practical solution is to make
sure the pictures are well secured to walls. Picture hangers
should be attached to studs, or use toggle-style bolts that
distribute the weight of the picture on the walls' surface,
Earthquake hangers are special picture hangers hat secure the
frames wire in a small plastic box. Replacing glass with plexi glass
is a more expensive solution.
In addition, a pry bar, flashlight, shoes and heavy gloves should
be stowed under the beds of anyone able to use them. The pry
bar can help open stuck doors or windows; the flashlight will
be necessary to navigate in the dark if the electricity goes
out; and the shoes and gloves can help avoid injury front broken
gloss and other hazards.
Seismic gas shut-off valves, which are
required in Los Angeles as well at some other California cities,
are more expensive. These valves automatically stop the flow
of natural gas into a home when triggered by an earthquake.
Your plumber can install the valve for about $300.
Bolting a house to its foundation and strengthening flue cripple
walls underneath the house can be an expensive proposition;
contractors typically charge $2000 to $3000 to bolt an average
sized house. But structural engineers agree that bolting a home
properly is one of the best ways to avoid catastrophic damage.
The Assn. of Bay Area Governments at (510) 464-7900 offers do-it-yourself
an instructional video, 'Stand Up to the Quake," for $10.83
including tax and shipping and handling.
Many earthquake retrofits are designed to reduce physical damage
to a home and its contents. The following actions could also
save a life or avoid serious injury and should be standard procedure
in Southland homes, retrofit experts say.
I. Bolt the foundation. The easiest way to avoid catastrophic
damage to most homes is to make sure they remain on their foundations
in a quake.
2. Safeguard the bedrooms. Remove, bolt or strap down any heavy
objects that could topple or fly onto the bed, including bookcases
or pictures. Remove all glass; glass in picture frames can be
replaced with safer plexiglass.
3. Bolt or strap furniture and electronic equipments elsewhere
in the home. Televisions, stereos and computers can become deadly
flying objects in a strong earthquake. Bookcases, tall furniture
and filing cabinets can topple over.
4. Strap the hot water heater. Heaters should be properly strapped,
top and bottom, with solid metal bands connected to studs in
the walls.
5. Install an automatic gas shut-off valve.
These valves, which cost about $300 to install, are required
for Los Angeles and are a smart idea for any Southern California
resident. |
Reeves Journal
All Levels of Government Now Recognize
the Need to Install Earthquake Shut-Off Valves
The Federal Government has recognized the need for
shut-off valves since January of 1990 when President Bush signed
Executive order 12699. The Executive Order states: "The
purposes of these requirements are to reduce risks to the lives
and occupants of buildings…to protect public investments..."
The provisions of the order apply to "all…new construction
activities..." Today, many Federal Government employees
and buildings are protected by Shut-Off Valves.
On November 22, 1994, the City of Los Angeles enacted an ordinance
that requires the installation of shut-off valves on all new
construction and remodeling and repair of residential, commercial
and industrial structures valued at more than ten thousand dollars
($10,000) or more. Under the leadership of City Councilman Hal
Bernson, the city recognized the dangers of gas-fueled fires
following earthquakes and took action to protect the lives and
property of the residents of the city.
On Thursday, December 8, 1994, the Seismic Safety Commission
of the State of California approved and adopted a report entitled,
"Northridge Earthquake: Turning Loss to Gain". ''In
that report, the Commission declared: "The combined loss
of water pressure, electrical power and communications, coupled
with significant gas-related fires, presents a clear and unacceptable
hazard with far-reaching implications..."
The Commission also recommended the mandatory installation of
Earthquake Shut-Off Valves at the service entry point of all
mobile home parks in California" and that the
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issue recommendations
and regulations to "ensure improvement in safety and seismic
performance of gas... lines, including…the use of automatic
shut-off valves..."
Earthquake Gas Valve Source
Berkeley, California, USA
Serving
the Bay Area since 1985
510. 843. 3275
Web Master
arth
Earthquake Gas
Valve Source home for a $69 Seismic Safety actuated Automatic
Gas Shut Off Valve Little Firefighter San Francisco Bay Area
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The
Earthquake Valve automatically shuts-off the gas flow
when earthquake strikes
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