Last night’s 4.6 magnitude earthquake centered near Boulder Creek rattled homes across Santa Cruz County. While 4.6 isn’t a catastrophic event, it’s strong enough to cause real structural damage — damage that isn’t always visible and won’t show up until it’s a bigger problem.
As a licensed home inspector serving Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties, I want to give homeowners a practical checklist of what to look for in the hours and days after a quake this size.
Foundation First
Walk the perimeter of your home and look for cracks in the foundation. Hairline cracks (thinner than a credit card) are usually cosmetic and existed before the quake. Cracks wider than 1/4 inch, stair-step cracks in block foundations, or any crack where the two sides are at different heights are worth a professional look. Pay special attention to corners — that’s where stress concentrates.
Chimneys Are the #1 Earthquake Casualty
If you have a brick or masonry chimney, get eyes on it from outside before you use your fireplace. Chimneys are the most common structural failure in moderate earthquakes. Look for mortar crumbling, bricks that have shifted or separated, or any lean in the chimney. Do not use your fireplace until a professional has confirmed the flue is intact — a cracked flue can send carbon monoxide into your home.
Doors and Windows That Don’t Close Right
Try every exterior door and window. If they’re suddenly sticking, not latching, or have visible gaps at the corners they didn’t have before, that’s a sign of frame movement. This isn’t just inconvenient — it means your home’s structure shifted. Minor shifts can be monitored; significant shifts need evaluation.
Brick and Masonry Separation
If your home has brick siding, a brick fireplace surround, or any decorative masonry, look for separation at the joints where brick meets wood framing. Earthquakes exploit exactly these connections.
Water Heater and Gas Connections
Check your water heater. It should be strapped to the wall (California code requires this, but older installs sometimes aren’t). Look at the gas line connection — any smell of gas means leave immediately and call PG&E. Look for moisture around connections that wasn’t there before.
Crawl Space
If you have access to your crawl space, look (carefully) for any posts or piers that have shifted, cracked, or separated from their pads. Crawl space damage is invisible from inside the house but can affect the structural integrity of the entire floor system.
When to Call a Professional Inspector
If you notice any of the above — or if your home is pre-1980 construction, built on a hillside, or has had known issues before — a post-earthquake inspection is the right call. You don’t need visible damage to benefit from a professional set of eyes. A lot of earthquake damage is hidden until it becomes expensive.
Landmark Property Inspections serves Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Santa Clara Counties. If you’re concerned about your home after last night’s earthquake, call us to schedule: (831) 649-6000.
Judd Bull is a licensed home inspector serving Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties since 2018. Landmark Property Inspections provides residential and commercial inspections throughout the Central Coast.