Providing additional protection for your family starts by considering whether residential safe rooms or underground storm shelters are right for your home. Both provide protection from the elements and potential break-ins in case your family is threatened.
But which one is right for your needs? The answer lies in what type of protection is best suited for your home. What follows is a breakdown of what residential safe rooms and underground storm shelters do, their pros and cons, and what special requirements are needed for either one.
What are Residential Safe Rooms?
This is a room that is reinforced normally with steel to provide additional protection from weather events such as tornados, hurricanes, or winds strong enough to damage the exterior of the home. A proper safe room is set up per FEMA guidelines and offers the following advantages:
- Provides Peace of Mind
- Doubles as a Storm Shelter
- Flexible Set Up
Knowing you have a safe room provides peace of mind as you have a safe area to gather. Plus, it provides strong protection against the most damaging types of storms. The real advantage is that you can set up a safe room in different areas of your home. But there are downsides to having a safe room:
- May be Expensive to Purchase
- Takes Up Valuable Interior Space
- May not be Necessary
The materials needed to create a safe room are not readily available in some parts of the country. This drives up the cost of having one put in your home. A safe room also takes up valuable space that could be used for other purposes. Plus, if you live in a low-crime area and one that rarely experiences damaging storms, it may not be necessary to obtain.
What are Underground Storm Shelters?
As the name suggests, this is a storm shelter that is buried under the ground. You enter through the top via a ladder or steps and proceed downwards into the shelter. The advantages are considerable:
- Provides Exceptional Protection from Wind Events
- Durable & Long-Lasting
- Does not Take Up Interior Space
No tornado or high wind event will reach inside an underground storm shelter. They also last for decades and are placed outside the home. However, they are not always practical as they have some disadvantages:
- High Water Table May Preclude Underground Shelter
- Can Be Expensive to Install
If your area has a high-water table, then the shelter will be exposed to that water. Installing an underground shelter requires digging into the yard. Plus, if you live in a low-risk area for storms, then it may not be necessary at all.
For more information about residential safe rooms and underground storm shelters, contact the experts at Luxus Construction. They can help you make the best-informed decision about what is right for your home.