Adding Automatic Seismic Shutoff Valve To Your Bay Area Home

Summary:

Automatic seismic shutoff valves help protect Bay Area homes from harm when earthquakes cause structural damage or break gas lines. They significantly lower your risk of potentially fatal gas leaks, fires, or explosions during these events.
California is one of the most active earthquake zones in the United States. There are over 1,300 incidents in the Bay Area alone each year.
Most tremors are too minor to cause any real damage, but experts believe a serious earthquake is long overdue. The Bay Area will likely experience at least one major earthquake before 2043.
Seismic shutoff valve requirements vary throughout the state. They’re mandatory for new construction in most of the Bay Area, and strongly suggested even if your home doesn’t legally require one.
All homes with a gas supply line should have at least one seismic shutoff valve installed to maximize safety during an earthquake. Adding these devices is not only affordable, but may also help you save money on your insurance premiums.

An automatic seismic shutoff valve is a safety device that detects seismic activity near your home and stops gas from continuing to flow into the building. These valves can help protect your family and home from harm if an earthquake causes the kind of structural damage to your home or gas lines that could trigger fires, explosions, or deadly gas leaks.

Why Automatic Seismic Shutoff Valves Matter So Much

Earthquake valves are especially critical for homeowners living near the San Andreas Fault or Hayward Fault, as seismic activity in these regions can be much more frequent and intense. Most of the Bay Area—including San Mateo—is considered high-risk.

To help offset the risks earthquakes pose to residential gas lines, the State of California began regulating seismic shutoff valves in 2000. Local ordinances later made them mandatory for all new constructions in the Bay Area.

In most cases, these laws don’t apply to older homes in the same way unless the building is being remodeled or overhauled. Yet, the benefits of having a gas shutoff valve installed are exactly the same—a lower risk for injuries, fatalities, and fires.

How Earthquakes Affect Homes Without Shutoff Valves

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), California experiences an average of 20,000 earthquakes each year. Over 1,300 of these incidents occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2023, making it one of the most seismically active areas in the country.

The vast majority of quakes across the state are minor and measure under a 3.0 on the Richter scale, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a more significant event can’t happen. Most data suggests that the risk of a more devastating earthquake is on the rise.

According to the USGS, there is a 72% chance for the Bay Area to experience one or more magnitude 6.7 or higher earthquakes before 2043.
Any seismic activity that exceeds a magnitude of 5.0 is considered strong enough to cause structural damage or rupture gas lines.
The closer your home is to a major fault line, the more likely you are to be near the epicenter or feel the impact first-hand.
The San Francisco peninsula is less than 25 miles away from the San Andreas Fault and the Hayward Fault, making it a high-risk zone.

Residents living in Bay Area homes that don’t have an automatic seismic shut-off valve installed are more likely to experience harm during a high-magnitude quake. Damage to gas lines can trigger potentially lethal gas leaks, fires, and dangerous explosions.

Protecting Your Family & Home Should Always Come First

Your family and home are your greatest assets. That’s why it’s important to do everything you can to protect them from harm. Having an automatic seismic shutoff valve doesn’t just lower your risk for damage to the building itself—it also safeguards the irreplaceable memories you’ve created within those walls.

And in the event of a major earthquake? It just might save someone’s life—maybe even yours.

Adding an Earthquake Valve Can Save You Money

Avoid the High Costs of Emergencies

Installing an automatic seismic shutoff valve can have significant financial advantages for homeowners. The most obvious benefit? Having a shutoff valve on your gas line greatly lowers your risk for an explosion, fire, or gas leak, which means you’re less likely to spend thousands of dollars on costly repairs or medical bills after an incident.

Maintain or Improve Your Home Insurance Coverage

If you live in an older home, having a gas shutoff valve installed could help you save money on insurance premiums—or prevent you from losing access to coverage in the first place. Some providers won’t approve you for coverage until you install one. Others offer a small discount after the fact to reward you for properly retrofitting your home for seismic activity.

Just how much you stand to benefit from investing in a seismic shutoff valve depends on your insurance provider and individual policy. But according to the California Earthquake Authority (CEA), retrofits can save you as much as 25% on a policy from one of its member companies.

That peace of mind matters more than ever as providers are pulling out of California or limiting access to coverage in high-risk areas at an unprecedented rate. In fact, State Farm announced that it would stop underwriting new policies for homeowners in California in early 2023, pointing to growing costs associated with natural disasters like wildfires and earthquakes.

The company initially said it didn’t plan to cancel any existing homeowner policies. But by August of the same year, State Farm was actively refusing to renew homeowner policies in multiple zip codes throughout the Bay Area.

Homeowners who find themselves suddenly cut off from coverage within an unpredictable market are forced to make a deeply uncomfortable decision: take the risk and go without, or pay for the state’s far more expensive FAIR plan as a last resort. Even that may be headed for insolvency if the number of applicants without any other option continues to grow.

ProTip: You may qualify for special loans or grants that can help you cover the cost of retrofitting a home built prior to the year 2000 with an automatic seismic shutoff valve. Check with your city or county building department for more information. Or, give us a call!

How Automatic Shutoff Valves Work

An earthquake shut-off valve is typically installed on your gas meter or on the gas line itself just before it enters your home. These devices are designed to trigger when seismic activity exceeds a certain magnitude—typically somewhere around 5.1 to 5.4 on the Richter scale.

Anatomy of a Shutoff Valve

Most devices contain these key parts:

A durable outer shell made of corrosion-resistant metal
A motion-sensitive ball or pendulum inside the shell
A trigger switch that detects seismic activity or movement

Diagram of a gas shutoff valve during an earthquake.

Here’s how they work together:

Normal Position: Gas flows through the valve normally.
Seismic Activity: Shaking moves the ball or pendulum out of place.
Automatic Shutoff: The shifted ball or pendulum blocks gas flow.
Manual Reset: The flow of gas remains off until the valve is reset.

Once triggered, a seismic shutoff valve will stay in the off position until it is manually reset. While you should know how to shut off the gas to your house in an emergency, we don’t recommend that you try to DIY this step on your own without our help. Working on or near gas lines can be extremely dangerous—especially if you have unseen damage to your lines.

Seismic Shutoff Valve Requirements For California Homes

Seismic shutoff valve requirements vary across the Bay Area, mostly depending on local ordinances. In the vast majority of areas—including San Mateo—they are already mandatory for any new constructions.

Older homes may not have an earthquake valve installed, especially if they were built before 2000. We highly recommend retrofitting any building that has a gas supply line with an automatic seismic shutoff valve—even if it isn’t required by law.

According to Energy.gov, earthquake valves must adhere to the guidelines outlined under California Referenced Standards Code (CRSC), Standard 12-12-1. Devices that fail to meet these guidelines violate building codes and often won’t provide enough protection during a serious earthquake.

It’s important to note that most utility providers won’t allow you to install an earthquake valve on any equipment owned by the company itself. For example, Pacific Gas & Electric specifies that seismic shutoff devices must be installed downstream of the meter on your supply line, rather than on the meter itself.

What Homeowners Need to Know About Retrofits

If you live in an older home that doesn’t have an earthquake valve installed yet, you should still consider having at least one of these devices installed. A retrofit may be required by law if you plan to remodel or sell, but that doesn’t mean you should wait—a shutoff valve will provide an extra layer of protection either way.

Diagram of gas meter and plumbing showing what parts are owned by the gas company versus the homeowner.

Here’s what you should know before you move forward.

Only a licensed plumber can install a gas shut-off valve. You can’t—and shouldn’t—try to DIY this task or tinker with gas lines on your own.
Seismic shutoff valves must meet the standards outlined under the CRSC. Devices that fail to adhere to these guidelines violate building codes and may be considered unsafe.
You’ll need to contact your natural gas provider before you proceed with a retrofit. The supply of gas must be turned off temporarily in order to safely install your device.
While you shouldn’t tinker with gas lines or seismic shutoff valves on your own, you should still know how to shut off the gas to your home in an emergency. A plumber can show you how to do this safely.

For extra peace of mind, consider having an individual gas shutoff valve installed at the inlet pipe going into each natural gas appliance in your home. This provides an extra layer of protection that can further lower your risk of a fire, gas leak, or explosion if the “big one” strikes.

How to Add a Shutoff Valve to Your Home

The easiest way to add a shutoff valve to your home is to contact Caccia Plumbing for help. Our certified plumbers are licensed to install earthquake valves and have the technical know-how to get the job done without putting you or your loved ones at risk.

Don’t take chances with the safety of your family and home. Contact Caccia Plumbing today for an upfront quote on automatic seismic shutoff valve installation and reduce your risk for serious consequences during an earthquake.

Frequently Asked Questions Automatic Seismic Shutoff Valves

How does adding manual natural gas shutoff valves make my home safer?

Natural gas shutoff valves halt the flow of gas going into your home in seconds after detecting seismic activity over a certain threshold. During an earthquake, this may help reduce the risk for fires and explosions, buying you time to get your family and belongings to a safe place.

When should you shut off your gas manually?

While installing an automatic seismic shutoff valve can help prevent loss of life and structural damage during an earthquake, you should still know how to shut off the gas to your home in an emergency. Warning signs for a leak or issue with your lines include:

Smelling Gas: The most obvious sign of a leak is a persistent smell of gas throughout your home. Turn off the supply of gas, exit the home, and contact a plumber right away.
Feeling Dizzy or Nauseous: Low-grade gas leaks may be too weak to be detectable by scent alone, but they can still make you sick. This can also be a warning sign for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Hearing Hissing From Pipes: A persistent hissing noise coming from a known gas line should be considered a plumbing emergency. Exit the home and turn off the gas immediately. Don’t re-enter the house until a plumber confirms it’s safe.

Remember: gas leaks and open flames don’t mix. If you have any reason to suspect a problem during a power outage or any other natural disaster, don’t light or use anything that might create a spark—including matches, lighters, light switches, or electrical appliances.

How much does a natural gas shutoff valve cost?

The exact cost varies depending on the device you choose and how many valves you want to install. For a more straightforward setup with a single valve, you can expect installation to cost as little as $900. Costs can range as high as $2,500 for larger homes with multiple valves or complicated setups.

If affordability is a concern, we offer flexible and easy-to-use payment options to ensure the installation fits your budget. Send us a message or give us a call at (650) 442-1470 for more information.

How do you reset your shutoff valve if it closes?

We don’t recommend trying to reset your shutoff valve yourself if it closes after seismic activity, as there is often no way to guarantee that you don’t have any damage to your gas lines. It is best to have the system checked for safety by our experts before you proceed.

Once we verify that it’s safe to reset your valve, you can use a small screwdriver to press “reset” until the green indicator reappears in the device site window.

Will adding a natural gas shutoff valve help with my home insurance premiums?

Some companies will discount policies for homes with an automatic seismic shutoff valve, but the insurance market in California is changing rapidly. For best results, ask your current provider to confirm whether they offer this benefit before you schedule your installation.

Remember: installing an automatic seismic shutoff valve is about so much more than just saving money on your premiums. It can help protect your family and home in the event of a serious earthquake. That kind of peace of mind is priceless.

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