Facts About Safe Room and Other Protections

Do not put your family's safety at risk by relying solely on chance. When it is about providing our customers with the best EF5-tested above underground and ground tornado shelters, we're all in! Some common questions about hurricane and tornado safe rooms will be discussed in this article. If you have detailed questions about safe rooms or are interested in developing a storm shelter within your property, please contact us!

What Is a Safe Room?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) defines a safe room as the strongest structure designed to meet the agency's criteria. This can be an absolute protection from any harsh weather conditions, such as hurricane and tornadoes, must be provided by a safe room, according to FEMA. State, federal, and local codes must always be followed when designing a safe room in accordance with its specifications.

A Small Community Safe Room Is Not the Same as a Community Safe Room

For a small community safe room, the amount of occupants it can hold is less than for a larger community safe room. A general community safe room can hold more people, but a small community safe room can only hold 16 people at a time.

Is a Safe Room Necessary in the Basement of My Home?

A safe room might be a good idea if you live in a house with a basement. Floor framing was ripped out by strong tornados, the basement walls were demolished, and people who sought storm shelter in a basement were killed and injured. Even though a basement is the safest place in your house, it will not offer the same level of security as a safe room. Here are some things to mull over:

Do Tornadoes and Hurricanes Pose a Threat to Me?

  • If a natural disaster occurs in my area, are there any pre-existing options for evacuating?

  • What level of security do I feel most at ease with?

If you have a basement in your home, this is a great place to put a safe room. If you live in an area with a high risk of flooding, knowing whether or not your basement is suitable for the construction of a safe room can help you make that decision.

Yes, a Safe Room Can Be Installed in an Existing House

Safe rooms can be built into a house from the ground up or added on later. It's important to keep in mind that the cost of building a safe room in an actual house is typically 20% higher than the cost of constructing the same safe room in a newly constructed home. The foundation of an existing home will be the major concern for the contractors of the safe rooms. For a safe room, most of the slab-on-grade foundational principles in most homes are insufficient.

Is it Necessary to Conduct Inspections?

A safe room on your property must be built with the building permits and thorough inspection before you begin. Safe rooms must be built keeping in mind the regulations of FEMA P-361 or 320. The building owner is responsible for ensuring that this is done.

Contact EF5 Tornado Shelters in Edmond, OK, and build a safe room without delay.

Brandon Shavers