How to Build a Storm Shelter for Your Family

Nearly every state in the United States is affected by extremes in weather such as windstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes. Based upon data acquired by FEMA, storm shelters are most necessary in homes located in the midwest, lesser so on the east coast and the least necessary toward the west. If you decide to build a storm shelter, it is also important to prepare an emergency safety plan for you and your family, such as notifying authorities of your storm shelter and an evacuation plan.

Instructions

1. Choose the best location for your storm shelter. The best foundation in your home suitable for the storm shelter is the basement. Basements often have a concrete slab foundation with metal reinforcement for maximum sturdiness in a storm.

2. Find a space within the location to create the storm shelter with walls completely independent of the remaining house structure. It is important to not extend the walls of your current home to be a part of the safe room, to maintain structural integrity even if your home collapses.

3. Contact a construction company to construct the safe room in the location you have specified. Find a company that specializes in storm shelter construction. Request the structure be built in dimensions of 8 cubic feet or 14 feet by 14 feet by 8 feet, depending on the size of your family. Request the safe room be constructed with concrete masonry unit wall material for the maximum protection.

Tips & Warnings

• It is not recommended that you build the storm shelter yourself. Building such a structure requires extensive experience and it is not wise to risk the safety of your family building such a structure.

References

• "Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business"; FEMA; 2008