Over the last several years , thegrowing seasonhas brought more than developing crop and crop farm animal : Tornadoes have ransacked much of the country . The United States is the globe drawing card in funnel cloud — a decidedly in question eminence — averaging 1,253 per yr from 1991 to 2010 , fit in to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration .
All 50 states have recorded tornadoes ; however , the Great Plains , Midwest and South serve as the country ’s epicenter of tornadic activity . As Mother Nature ’s most destructive conditions force , tornadoeshave killed more Americans than hurricanes or temblor since 1950 , when data point was first pile up . More than 500 fatalities come in 2011 alone .
Many home plate and phratry remain unprotected from these rotating nightmares of air , as construction codes do n’t play the monetary standard expect to withstand the utmost winds and flying debris associated with a tornado . As storm numbers spring up , tornado shelter or good room are becoming a more important retainer on the farm .
Assess Your Tornado Risk
The first phase in protect yourself against a tornado is gauge your property ’s risk . The Federal Emergency Management Agency established arisk assessmentbased on a national wind geographical zone map . If your farm fall in zone III or IV , you should gravely count read precaution to protect yourself , your family and your farm .
Plan Your Shelter
Ideal shelters are create during the edifice phase of the home . They tend to be less expensive when contrive alongside the house itself and can be in more strategic locations . The dear locations are in the primal helping of the home , and the privy , cellar and garage run to be the most practical locations . A can seems to be the most logical pick , but safe room doors are heavily reinforced steel and may not meet your base internal preference .
Safe Room Options
dependable roomsare essentially miniature fortresses designed to withstand nothingness speeds up to 250 miles per hour . They have layered walls , ground tackle and vault - similar doors , and as such , you do n’t want them to be any large than necessary : The room should be just vainglorious enough to make your menage or costs will quickly become unbearable .
Shelters do n’t have to be within the home . Outdoor option do subsist and may be the good choice if your home is already built . They should be no farther than 150 feet from your menage ingress , however , and the localization should not be prostrate to flooding .
you may also construct your own safe room . The way should be cast anchor by a cement floor , and the frame should be double - stud with a vertical sheet of 3/4 - inch plywood followed by another erect sheet .
you’re able to add an outside drywall layer to make the safe room more appealing to the middle . The net layer of innermost protection is comprised of 14 - standard of measurement sword sheet . The qualified tornado - proof steel door should be mounted in a steel frame with three bolt locks . FEMA reckon that an install 8 - by-8 - foundation secure way will run between $ 8,000 and $ 9,500 , but you could dramatically reduce that figure by doing it yourself .
There are several prefabricated good room options : Some can be direct within a cellar or garage , while others are contrive for outside in - earth or aboveground options . Companies often advertise safe rooms as multipurpose rooms for storage or bank vault for valuable , but when you need to take protection in the way , do you have time to empty it out ? Keep that in mind before filling your dependable room to the brim .
secure room are a pregnant investment on the farm . As with any concern decision , assess endangerment appropriately . However , be cognisant the risk is n’t financial : It ’s the lives of you and your family member .
