Safe rooms for tornadoes and hurricanes

Most homes, even new ones built to current codes, don't protect the people inside from the strongest tornadoes and hurricanes. Those storms can put far more wind and debris load on a house than the building code assumes. A safe room is built above the code, specifically to resist that wind and the debris it throws, and it gives the people inside a very high chance of coming through without injury.

Where a safe room can go

A safe room can be built inside the house, against it as an addition, or as a separate structure. A detached one should sit within 150 feet of the nearest door of the house, so everyone can reach it quickly. It can be in the ground, above the ground or in the basement. The soil around an in-ground room shields it from flying debris. An above-ground room, such as one built into a garage, has to be rigorously tested to show it can take the same impacts.

What it cost

In 2015, a safe room built from the standard designs while a new home went up cost about $8,000 to $9,500 for an 8-by-8-foot room, and $14,000 to $17,000 for a 14-by-14-foot one. Adding one to an existing house generally costs more than building it in from the start.

Flooding

A safe room shouldn't go anywhere floodwater could endanger the people inside. One in an area that can flood in a hurricane shouldn't be used during a hurricane, though it may still be usable in a tornado if storm rain won't flood it. The local building official can say whether the house, or a site for a separate room, is at risk of flooding.

An annotated example

What to do next

Ask the local building official about the code requirements for a safe room, and check the flood risk for the spot you have in mind. Bring in a licensed design professional to plan it. Once it's built, give the fire department and the local emergency management office its location and the coordinates of its entrance, so they can check on anyone inside if debris covers it. Keep a battery-powered weather radio in the house.