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How to prepare your home for earthquakes

Tools and equipment needed to help you prepare your home for an earthquake.
Stay safe and reduce damage to your home by simply being prepared.

Earthquake and natural disasters: be prepared

Most earthquake damage to homes occurs from:

  • Lloose materials around the home, for example, heavy and large furniture
  • Chimneys
  • Unstable foundations
  • Structural damage
  • Flooding and liquefaction
  • Fallen trees and branches
  • Flooding caused broken gutters and downpipes
  • Land slides.

Preparation checklist

Use this quick and easy checklist to prepare your home for a earthquake:

  • Repairing or replacing damaged, decayed or unbraced pile foundations
  • Installing, repairing or replacing underfloor and wall bracing
  • Restraining hot water cylinders and header tanks
  • Replacing or removing brick and concrete masonry chimneys - or strengthening the spaces below them
  • Replacing loose and damaged concrete or clay roof tiles
  • Repairing or replacing damaged retaining walls and old pipes and cables
  • Secure tall or heavy furniture
  • Check slopes and retaining walls

If you are away from your home you should contact family or friends to ensure your home is secure. Download our Earthquake Preparations Checklist for tasks you can do around your home to be prepared.

Get ready checklist (PDF, 1.5MB)

Your local emergency service can give you advice on what to do in the event of natural disaster in your area and information on how you can be earthquake or natural disaster safe. Find your local emergency service details below.

Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management

Earthquake or natural disaster emergency kit

Having an emergency kit on hand with everything you need can also assist the family in a time of panic. Bunnings has a range of products to help you create an earthquake preparation emergency kit:

  • Spade
  • Rake
  • Trimmer
  • Chainsaw
  • Mower
  • Hoses 
  • Buckets 
  • Water containers 
  • Water pump 
  • Portable radio 
  • Waterproof torch 
  • Batteries 
  • Rags 
  • Fire extinguishers 
  • Fire blanket 
  • First aid kit 
  • Generator 
  • Portable sprayer 
  • Sand bags 
  • Safety gear (PPE) 
  • Work gloves 
  • Dust masks 
  • Wet weather jacket and pants
  • Hi-vis jacket
  • Safety boots.

 

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Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer. You can also use a simple test kit from Bunnings to indicate the presence of lead-based paint.