Tornadoes can completely level home and everything in it. They can destroy your home in seconds and leave you with nothing. Tornadoes can change your life in an instant, and this is why it’s so important to prepare for them. Every year, more than 1,200 tornadoes hit the United States alone, according to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, which is why having a tornado safe room is so important.
What’s a Tornado Safe Room?
A tornado safe room or storm shelter refers to a hardened structure specially crafted to match FEMA criteria and offer complete protection in life-threatening weather events such as hurricanes and tornadoes.
A tornado shelter is not the same as a basement. A basement can be an excellent place to seek shelter, but only if it has been specifically built to withstand high winds and flying debris. Building your own storm shelter is not recommended.
A tornado safe room should be installed as close to the home as possible. You can have an under stairs tornado shelter built into a garage or installed outside the home.
A typical above-ground safe room is a small, windowless fortified room with walls and a ceiling reinforced with steel and/or concrete. The door should be made of reinforced steel or wood at least 3 inches thick and should have a heavy-duty deadbolt lock that opens outward, away from the storm.
Tornado Safe Room Benefits
Tornadoes are violent destructive and can form anywhere at any time. The safest place to be is in a tornado safe room or storm shelter.
There are many options for tornado-safe rooms. They can be built as a separate structure outside your home, inside the garage, or under the ground. You can also have a safe room built within your house.
Some of the benefits of a Tornado safe room include;
- You will be prepared for any kind of disaster that comes along. Tornadoes are not the only type of disaster that can strike anywhere at any time. Your safe room will also protect you from many other natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and even fires. In addition to protecting you from natural disasters, a tornado safe room will also protect you from intruders who may try to harm you or your family members.
- You’ll be able to save on insurance costs if your home has a tornado safe room installed in it. Many insurance companies offer discounts to homeowners who have safe rooms installed because they know that their valuables are much less likely to be destroyed if they are being kept in a safe room
- Peace of Mind – Having a tornado safe room will give you peace of mind knowing that if disaster strikes, you have done all you can to protect yourself, your family, and your home
Key Takeaway
Tornado safe rooms must meet specific criteria to qualify as a safe place during severe weather. They must be strong enough to withstand 200 miles per hour winds, which is the average wind speed of an F5 tornado. They also cannot contain any windows or glass since glass can shatter and break under heavy pressure.
Most importantly, they must be resistant to flying debris, which causes most tornado fatalities. Most safe rooms are constructed from concrete or reinforced steel to meet this requirement.
