A Safe Room: What You Need to Know

In today's society more and more people are becoming aware of their need for a safe room.

Town Ordinances

Before breaking ground, or tearing out walls, you should find out the required codes and regulations that are specific to your area. Some towns do have codes on how high the building can be, how many square feet it can cover, and what materials should be used in the building of the safe house.

Safe Rooms as Storm Shelters

A safe room take on different forms, but the most popular is the storm shelter. These safe rooms provide protection against tornadoes and extreme weather that can threaten homes and families in certain parts of the country.

Traditionally built outside of the home, they are seen as underground root cellars, or storage areas.

Safe Rooms as Protection from Home Invasion

Unfortunately, another form of protection a safe room can offer is in the event of a home invasion. These rooms can be as high tech as you can afford, or just a basic room where you can hide and contact the outside world.

Safe Room Construction

Depending on where you live, the construction of the safe room can take different forms. Building a safe room in the basement is one of the most popular ways to add a safe room.

A safe room for home invasions, while practical to have in the basement away from sight, is not very functional. You should be able to access it quickly without having to run from the top of the house to the bottom. A closet, or false wall is the most common type of safe room.

Safe Room Construction Materials

Strong construction materials will make the safe room much more reliable than a simple wood frame. Concrete walls and ceilings are used in areas where storm shelters need to be strong because of the strong winds and driving rain.

Another construction material can be the ground itself. A partially buried building will stand up to the battering winds better than a free standing buildling.

Building a safe room in a house does present its challenges. The use of steel bars, or reinforced concrete walls will help to build an impenetrable room. A problem this type of room, though, is in the extra weight given to the joists and overall frame of the house. Reinforcing the joists with steel beams will be something that will need to be done when adding this type of safe room to your house.