Nowadays, safe rooms aren’t just meant for big celebrities or any public figure, but for normal homeowners too. Due to the uncertainty of today’s world, many homeowners are now convinced to have safe rooms while planning to move or building a new house. This post talks about tornado safe room and their importance.
Safe rooms – What are they?
As the name suggests, safe rooms are a secure and fortified space that serves as a place to hide in emergencies, be it natural or situations like a home invasion. These are specially designed, and one needs to make sure that they abide by the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) guidelines. The guidelines are as follows –
- To avoid overturning, uplift, or any other failures, safe rooms are required to be fixed to the home’s foundation.
- To avoid any situation like extreme windstorms, house attacks, etc., the walls, doors, roof, and windows need to be strong enough for resistance.
- The walls of the safe room and that of the house shouldn’t be common. There shouldn’t be any sharing between the structures of saferooms and the house, as it will help safe rooms to stay strong even if the house gets damaged due to any untoward incident.
Safe rooms – Is it essential to have one?
When talking about commendable home security, a tornado-safe room is worth mentioning. Indeed, it’s a vital part of any home, especially for individuals residing in an area that requires some extra security.
There are plenty of situations where natural calamities turn disastrous or aggressors surpass the home’s existing alarm and security system. In such scenarios, safe rooms are the best place where one can hide with confidence to overcome such mishappenings.
Safe rooms – The costs involved
Typically, the cost for building a safe room depends upon factors like the house’s location, size, and, most importantly, the type of foundation on which the house stands. For someone running low on budget while renovating or moving to a new house, he/she can start building a safe room by making small changes with time. This will avoid a huge expense at once and allow one to get his/her safe room ready without hurting the bank.
What are the steps to build a safe room for home?
The initial step while building a safe room is to determine between building it above or below ground level. It can be difficult for any homeowner to decide this on his own; therefore, it’s wise to get in touch with professionals like an architect or engineers who are aware of FEMA criteria. The overall steps involved are as follows –
- Room selection.
- Abiding by FEMA guidelines while construction.
- Solid Metal or Wooden door installation with a minimum of two locks.
- Installation of shatter-resistant windows
- Storing first aid kids and other medical supplies.
- Storing self-defense tools.
- Adding an anti-theft window film.
- Installation of a reliable security system with features to help in emergencies.
- Ensuring proper ventilation.
In addition, whenever there’s a situation when an individual feels that it will be a long stay in the safe rooms due to an emergency, there are certain things that should be stored for survival. Mention below is some of the must-haves.
- Water & Food.
- Cell phone and battery charger.
- Medical supplies.
- Flashlights with charger or extra batteries.
- Knife and ropes
Conclusion
The essence of a tornado safe room is extremely practical and can be well-understood when it comes to resisting natural calamities or intruders. Hope this post gives readers a clear idea about the advantages of having one, thus deciphering its importance as security for themselves and their loved ones.
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