Can You Use the Garage Room As a Tornado Shelter?

Nowadays, most people take precautions so that they can be safe during a tornado. Although people do predict about storm beforehand, still some storms always remain unpredictable. Sometimes you may not get much time to take shelter in a community safe center. For that reason, many think of their garage as a safe place during hurricanes or tornadoes. But according to research, garages should not be considered as tornado shelters during a storm.

Do you remember the garage scene in the movie “Twister”? There are various items in the garage that can be extremely dangerous if they fall over you due to the impact of high winds. Basically, the large garage door and a lack of interior walls make it unsuitable for taking shelter. We have explained in this article how to be safe in case a tornado occurs and why a garage is not the best safe place at all.

What Makes the Garage Unsafe at the Time of Storm?

The doors of the garage are not secured enough. As the garage door can cover a large area, it can secure the house at some point. If the door becomes damaged due to the storm, then anyone taking shelter inside the room can face extreme danger. While installing the garage door most of us do not care whether it is wind rated or not. In general, the garage doors are made of materials that cannot resist the power of the strong wind. Many of us have already experienced debris that has broken the garage door during a tornado. Therefore, if you want to protect yourself from the storm, then you have to purchase a wind-rated garage door.

Can You Secure a Garage Door?

Taking some safety measures to reinforce a garage door can help it to become less vulnerable to high winds. Keep in mind that a light-weighted garage door is cost-effective and also easy to open. However, after passing the storm, you may face problems. First of all, you have to evaluate the sturdiness of your door including track, anchor and springs.

While buying the garage door, do not forget to check the wind pressure rating. You must consider a door brace for your garage as it will help you to reinforce the seams of the door. You can also use the car as a storage box for emergency supplies. Keep in mind that collapsing shelves can be threatening during a natural disaster like a tornado. You can avoid the situation by securing all of the workspace storage and shelves to the wall with brackets.

Ensure Your Safety

Now you have known despite doing everything the garage cannot be a secured tornado shelter entirely. Consequently, it would be better if you contact EF5 Tornado Shelters in OKC for buying a secured and customized shelter room.