Earthquake damage cleanup for Los Angeles homes

Water heater and pipe breaks are the first priority after a quake. An unstrapped tank heater can walk or tip, tearing its water and gas connections, and rigid lines can crack where they pass through walls. Once the gas and water are off, we extract standing water, pull wet baseboard and pad, read the walls for water that ran inside, and set drying equipment. The plumber and the gas utility handle the connections; we handle the water damage and photograph the heater for your claim.

Cracked walls and ceilings are common and usually cosmetic, but they need to be read for what they are. Diagonal cracks at door and window corners, and cracks in plaster ceilings, are normal after shaking; wide cracks, doors that no longer close or floors that suddenly slope can signal structural movement. We document the cracks, remove loose plaster or drywall safely, and tell you plainly when an engineer or building inspector should look before repairs start. Nothing structural gets covered up until it has been looked at.

Broken contents and debris make a house unsafe to walk through. Glass, ceramics, fallen shelving and toppled furniture cover floors, and spilled liquids from kitchens and garages mix into it. We photograph everything in place for the claim, clear broken glass and debris, set aside items that can be cleaned or repaired, and list what cannot. Anything that could hide sharp edges, like rugs and soft furniture, is checked before it goes back into use. Nothing gets thrown out without your say.