13 WTHR IndianapolisHome inspections after earthquake show minimal damage

Home inspections after earthquake show minimal damage

Nicole Misencik/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis - People are still talking about the earthquake that surprised residents in central Indiana on Thursday. Could it have shifted the foundation on your home causing problems further down the road?

Keith Bentley has been inspecting homes for almost 35 years. He spent Friday checking homes for earthquake damage.

"We'll be looking for any differential movement, any loose bricks, cracked bricks that weren't cracked before the earthquake hit," said Bentley.

Bentley recommends a quick walk around your home looking at the foundation and sides for any new cracks.

"I'm not seeing any problems with the foundation so far," he said.

With the outside of the house checking out, it's time to head in. The inspection is from the floor to the ceiling

"Wherever you have walls that meet we would check really closely for gaps, any separation or settlement," said Bentley.

Another crack in the wall was not caused by the earthquake, and an expert like Bentley can spot the difference.

A telltale sign that something is wrong could be a door not closing properly. That means the frame could have settled during the earthquake.

Bentley also checks electrical outlets to ensure that wiring has not been pulled due to the movement of the earth.

"We try to hit all of the outlets to make sure the polarity is correct," he explained.

Another area to check is the bathroom. If your toilet sounds different when you flush, or when you turn the water on in the sink, that could mean a leak.

"When you first turn the water on if you get a lot of air, sometimes that indicates it hasn't been used in a while or you might have a small leak somewhere in the system," he said.

In the kitchen, it's more checking of seams and creases and ceilings and walls.

Bentley noted an existing crack in the kitchen ceiling.

"If that were from an earthquake we would have a large amount of the ceiling missing," he said.

Bentley says people may be looking for damage after an earthquake, but shouldn't expect to find a lot.

"I would venture to say that 85 to 90 percent of the damage reported after an earthquake like that was probably pre-existing," he said.