Given the environmental change that’s taking place all over the world with different climates and changing weather conditions, many areas have become prone to certain weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc. This makes it a thought to ponder upon the necessity to construct a safe room in your house. A safe room according to writer Jackie Craven, is more or less like a shelter which is built outside or within an existing structure and is strong enough to provide safety from any catastrophic events such as hurricanes, earthquakes or even any acts of terrorism. Not all safe rooms are built for a common purpose. The type of safe room you would like to build then determines the specifications of the structure.
A safe room is built according to the guidelines provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the International Code Council. Hence no ordinary contractor or architect should be employed to build one rather experienced one who specializes in particularly building such structures. According to FEMA, if the weather is your primary concern to stay safe from hurricanes or tornadoes, constructing an underground structure is a better option than being above the ground as that can definitely protect you in a storm but swallow your home in seconds in a flowing whirlpool in case of a hurricane.
Areas in mid-west America are more prone to facing such events where the source of the catastrophe is extreme weather conditions such as Florida. An article states that according to Dr. Harold Brooks, a senior research scientist working with the NOAA National severe storms laboratory, outside of the United States, areas like Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay are susceptible to more tornadoes and typically get twisters on a yearly account.
If a safe room is built for protection against a terrorist attack, the walls will be made with Kevlar or other strong, bulletproof material which will keep invaders or intruders from forcefully entering or shooting into your home. Now that such events have become a common sight on the news channels and radio, many high-end residents have this view of constructing one as that can keep them safe until the end. There are many advantages of having safe rooms, and this article is going to look into some of them.
Advantages of a Safe Room
As discussed above, safe rooms are now a common concept especially for people who have the affordability to protect themselves from natural calamities or other attacks. There are many advantages of having one in your home. A safe room poses as a safe haven in the times of need because when such circumstances do occur where there’s a danger to your lives, basements and other shelters pose more of a threat as they can become deadly traps. This is because first of all they are not built to provide safety from the power of a hurling hurricane or earthquake. In the case of severe flooding, it’s possible that water currents are too strong for basement walls to withstand making it more of a trap than a shelter.
It isn’t always the case that a safe house is only used in only severe circumstances. In situations of illegal or forced entry into ones’ home by robbers or kidnappers, sneaking into an underground safe house is a life-saving option. Also, it also adds an extra room in your house that you can use to store your valuable commodities such as priceless paintings, expensive jewelry safe from the eyes of an intruder.
Other than providing protective benefits to house owners, a less thought of advantage of a safe house is that it increases the overall property value by a significant amount. Despite having to pay a hefty amount for it in the beginning, safe room expenses can be paid back at the time you decide to make a sale and move out. This is because not many homes have a safe house hence it is a valuable addition to your property. Another benefit that is often overlooked is that the government understands the situation and may even help in filling up some of the costs on your behalf as FEMA takes care of initial installation costs making it a comparatively easier decision to think about.
While many people believe that safe houses may be an expensive addition to make in your home, extreme weather conditions in certain areas make it a sound decision to invest in as it is a long-term investment which keeps you safe. So now that you know what is a safe room decide to get one for yourself.