These protected rooms are not to be confused for a room that acts as a ‘safe’ for storing money or jewellery, but rather a panic room to be used at the time of emergencies for protection. It is essential for houses that are built in areas where violent storms and tornadoes are present to have such a room as it is a great way of protecting the family from strong winds.
What is a safe room?
It’s a panic room to be used at the time of emergencies and for protecting the family from strong winds. These tornado shelters are constructed in a particular manner in order to withstand dangerously strong winds and flying debris. This means that even if the entire house becomes damaged, this is the safest place to be and one would still stay protected and secure in such a chamber!
Apart from protecting one from unpredictable weather conditions like storms and tornadoes, this kind of room can also be used as a retreat in case of home invasions. Thus, deadbolt locks are generally installed in such rooms and it is possible to activate such locks from the inside. Thus, the safety chamber or cell can perform a dual role and be a place of refuge for people living in areas where the crime rate is high.
1. Types Of Materials
If you are contemplating about the idea of building a safe cell in your home then you should first decide on the type of materials that you want to use in the construction process. There are many options to choose from here; of course, all these options are different from the options used for building regular rooms and houses. One can choose from reinforced concrete blocks, poured reinforced concrete, welded solid steel and wood. For windows, fiberglass can be used instead of regular glass. These materials are so strong that the safe cell would remain intact even after the rest of the house has disintegrated!
2. The Best Place
Where should a family safe room be built? Answer: This shelter can be built nearly everywhere inside a house or apartment, i.e. in an existing large garage or basement. If you want it to not be in the house, but rather outside the house then it should be built on a foundation made of concrete slab for strength and durability. Of course if you are going to build it outside then you will also need to build a strong roof and siding for the safe chamber. Safety or stormrooms can also be built as underground safe rooms. A typical safe chamber in a residential house is constructed to accommodate up to sixteen individuals. In case of community buildings like schools, such rooms would definitely be larger in size in order to protect a larger group.
3. About The Construction
When it comes to the construction of a sanctuary room, it is important to choose a space which is easy to access to so that everybody can simply rush to it in times of emergencies. Storm shelters should have a solid door having a great lock or a deadbolt and strong hinges. If you have children in your house then make sure that the position of the lock is out of their reach or the lock should be something that they won’t be able to secure otherwise it would be a huge mess if they lock themselves inside the safe cell accidentally and can’t get out.
4. Don´t Forget The Supplies
Other than the construction process, it is also important to pay attention to the supplies that would be required in case of the secure cell. You should definitely keep a cell phone in this room which is charged all the time and probably an extra battery in case you need to make phone calls when you are inside the room during an emergency. Apart from a communication device, you also need to have running water, a first aid kid in the room and some food supplies. Also, a flashlight would come in handy during emergencies, so make sure you stock the room with these.
More about building a safe room, safe room plan or detailed information on residential saferooms download this free pdf report please.
5. The Costs
On an average, a small 8×8 foot room designed for tornado or storm protection is going to cost you USD 7000-9000. For a larger room, i.e. 14×14 foot one, the cost can easily run into USD 12000-14000! However think of this as a worthwhile investment to feel safer, because these rooms are really lifesavers in times of emergencies. Safe rooms are not cheap to build, therefore for those who do not have sufficient funds to construct the same, help is available in the form of safe room funding and grants.
Photo 1: Angie White Photo2: Marc Buehler