Seismic vibrations wreak havoc on poorly constructed structures. These locations will be safer to live in if structures are appropriately engineered and built to resist these vibrations. A seismic safe design aims to reduce the impact of an earthquake on buildings by considering how they are built down to the smallest detail. The goal is to create a structure that is as immune to earthquakes as possible. There are two types of seismic safety: structural and non-structural. Non-structural elements include furniture, appliances, and other personal property. They can be damaged or destroyed during an earthquake, so it is important to identify them in a home inspection and note their location in your report. Structural elements include walls, floors, and roofs. They must be considered when designing a house or building site, since their damage could affect the stability of the entire structure. The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has published a comprehensive set of guidelines for seismic safety in buildings. Their guideline documents are useful tools for identifying risk areas in homes and recommending solutions that will make buildings more resistant to earthquakes. Structures are made up of components that move independently from one another. When an earthquake strikes, these components need to know what type of movement to expect so they can protect themselves.