INFORMATION FOR THE HOMEOWNER
Nine Landslide Warning Signs Your House is Giving You
Doors or windows stick or jam for the first time
New cracks appear in plaster, tile, brick, or foundations
Outside walls, walks, or stairs begin pulling away from the building
Slowly developing, widening cracks appear on the ground or on paved areas such as streets or driveways
Bulging ground appears at the base of a slope
Water breaks through the ground surface in new locations
Fences, retaining walls, utility poles, or trees tilt or move
Unusual sounds, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together, might indicate moving debris
Collapsed pavement, mud, fallen rocks, and other indications of possible debris flow (embankments along roadsides are particularly susceptible to landslides)
Source: https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2017/10/17/4339/fact-sheet-recognize-landslide-warning-signs
Study The Land: The Downside to Hillside Living
Hillside living is hard to beat: the perfect views, the tranquil setting, the beautiful house nestled into the foothills. But it can come with a price: By its very nature a hillside can be potentially unstable. Gravity, water, soil and bedrock composition, geologic history and man-made changes can combine to damage or destroy homes and property in the form of a landslide.
That’s why it’s important to know, study and understand the land around your property. For instance, a majority of the ground beneath the hills in Southern California is clay-rich, unconsolidated strata that can be prone to water absorption and retention. Water can seep into the ground and build up a lubricating layer between the deeper clay level and the strata above it. Or, water can seep into cracks that were formed after a long dry period which may have caused the ground to contract or split. Combine the hillside’s steepness with a heavy enough load and the result can be that large sections of earth slide downward.
Get The Lay Of The Land: What To Look For
Changes in your landscape, such as patterns of storm-water drainage on slopes
Progressively leaning trees
Parallel cracks in driveways or sidewalks
Excavation activity downslope
Over watering or soggy terrain (Middle-of- the-hill dwellers should be aware of upside neighbors’ watering issues)
Drainage systems that have not been inspected and cleaned
Rain gutters that empty near a structure instead of into a drainage system
PROPER DRAINAGE IS ESSENTIAL TO THE HEALTH OF YOUR PROPERTY
If You Suspect Your House Is At Risk, Talk To An Expert
The best insurance against a landslide catastrophe is forethought and a landslide mitigation plan.
With more than 35 years of experience in landslide repair and earth shoring, D.J. Scheffler & Nye has saved houses and properties from Malibu to San Diego County. Their expertise has also taken them across the United States to offer solutions to help mitigate landslide disasters.
D.J. Scheffler & Nye has the resources and expertise to identify the risks and keep your property firmly in place.
D.J. SCHEFFLER & NYE IS here to help
YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO:
• Talk to a geological consultant •
• Bring in an engineer •
• Consult with a landslide prevention specialist •
• Find an excavating specialist •
• Speak with your insurance agent •
But, know that D.J. Scheffler & Nye has an extensive network of registered engineering geologists, geotechnical engineers and other resources that can help answer any of your questions. If you see landslide warning signs, call us to get expert advice on the best way to prevent, control and mitigate the danger of a potential landslide.
CONTACT D.J. SCHEFFLER & NYE
OR, CALL US NOW
(909) 595-2924
IN PROCESS
AFTER
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF LANDSLIDES
A landslide is the movement of rock, debris, or earth down a slope. They result from the failure of the materials which make up the hill slope and are driven by the force of gravity. Landslides are also known as landslips, slumps, or slope failure.
ROTATIONAL SLIDE:
When the surface of rupture is curved concavely upward, and the slide movement is roughly rotational about an axis that is parallel to the ground surface and transverse across the slide.
TRANSLATIONAL SLIDE:
When the landslide mass moves along a roughly planar surface with little rotation or backward tilting.
Before
After
PROPER EQUIPMENT IS ESSENTIAL TO GETTING THE JOB DONE RIGHT
