Have you ever experienced a frost quake? Also, have you ever heard of a frost quake?
You may have experienced it but didn’t even know what it was.
A frost quake – more technically referred to as a cryoseism – is a geological phenomenon whereby water seeps down into the ground, freezes, and expand. This causes a tremor when the ice then pushes up against the soil or bedrock above it. Generally, this happens when the temperature drops well below freezing rather quickly. You know how those polar vortices can sneak up on us.
All of this geological shenanigans results, first, in a cracking sound. It has been known to be as loud as a thunderclap. Some have reported the sound to be like a hard object hitting their house. Either way, that sound is sometimes accompanied by small flashes of light at the site of the rupture due to electrical charges from the friction and pressure, making it, in some isolated cases, a bit like a small subterranean storm, with its own version of thunder and lightning.
Pretty neat.
The word “cryoseism” quite literally means an extreme cold earthquake. Which means that, flash or no flash, the thunderclap sound is followed by a tremor. Hence the name. You might not feel the tremors, but they can be heavy enough to be measured by a seismometer. In some cases, if right above the source of the quake, it may feel like someone dropped a heavy object on your floor.
It takes quite a lot of ground saturation in the earth’s crust for it to happen. So, if heavy, prolonged rainfall then turns to sleet or snow, you know the conditions could become conducive for a frost quake. But if there is enough snow on the ground – say, six inches – it acts as a buffer, insulating the blow of the soil or rock’s rupture, minimizing the effects of the quake.
Frost quakes are most likely to occur in cold weather regions such as ours. Though they originate much closer to the surface than your textbook earthquake, they are not nearly as devastating, and they are limited to a much more localized area. Unfortunately, the time and place where a frost quake will occur is unpredictable. The good news is that even if your home is directly over ground zero of a frost quake, they are not violent enough to do significant damage, and are likely not going to put you into insurance claim territory. In fact, frost quakes are not usually covered by your standard homeowner’s insurance policy.
Nor are frost heaves.
Frost heaves have been described as frost quake’s less noisy brother. But the upward crunches of frost heave down under actually can do minor damage to your foundation over time – sagging, sinking floors, and cracked or bowed walls – resulting in water seepage in places it is unwelcome, bringing its own set of troubles. This is especially true in areas where freezing, thawing, and refreezing tends to go in repetitive cycles. This can damage your home’s foundation if it is situated at just the right spot, and depending on the consistency of the soil your home is built upon. Soil highly composed of clay is most susceptible.
Also note that if you’ve planted a significant number of trees or shrubs around the perimeter of your home, remember that they soak up moisture from the soil. And suddenly drying soil can have the equal but opposite effect of a sudden deluge.
“Okay, so if they are not covered by my insurance,” you may reasonably ask, “why are you telling me this?”
At Horihan Insurance we believe that, just like in medicine, prevention is often a part of the cure when it comes to property damage. So, if you notice any of these issues developing, we implore you to consult a professional. Insulating your foundation walls as well as the piping in your basement or crawl space can minimize potential damage. Proper drainage on your property is a must to avoid buildup of water at the depths of the soil in the first place.
Just like with so many aspects of life, with some awareness, forward thinking, and decisive action, you can avoid even bigger problems in the future.