/// Nature’s Fury ///
Bunker Down
Start Early. If possible, build the safe room at the same time as the home. It will not only cost less overall, but can be designed with its own foundation—not attached to the walls of the home foundation. The idea: It should remain standing even if the house is destroyed.
Roof
Go Rogue. If the house is built over a crawlspace, not a full foundation/basement, the best option may be to build a separate shelter outside the home, rather than cutting a hole in the fl oor and excavating a foundation from inside the home.
Get Low. Shelters can be built indoors using wood framing with wall reinforcement of heavy plywood and even sheet steel. Good locations are toward the center of the home on the fi rst fl oor, or better yet, below it, such as beneath a laundry room. The idea is keep the room isolated and out of the path of fl ying missiles.
Assess the Flood Risk. It may sound obvious, but a safe room is not waterproof. If there’s a fl ood risk accompanying potential tornadoes, the room will have to be built above grade, at considerably more cost than a basement shelter.
SOURCE: FEMA: “TAKING SHELTER FROM THE STORM: BUILDING A SAFE ROOM INSIDE YOUR HOUSE”
Soil
PART THREE
Rather than build an entire fortress that can withstand a tornado, most experts recommend construction of a “safe room” where you can wait out the maelstrom.
Unless you live in a concrete geometric dome with no windows, chances are your home isn’t ready to face down a tornado, with 250 mph winds, hurling deadly debris in its path. But FEMA and other organizations have worked out some good designs for safe rooms—small, ultra-sturdy spaces, relatively safe from the thrashing outside—even if the rest of the home is blown to smithereens. You’ll want to get detailed plans from FEMA, but here’s a primer on how they’re planned and built.
Exterior Wall
Shelter Area
Concrete Slab
Emergency Supply Kit Stored in Shelter
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