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Which room of my basement is the best to use as a storm shelter?
I have been thinking about this in light of the recent tornados. There are 4 places in my basement that could serve as potential shelters, each with pros and cons. 1) The main room. Pros: it is the largest, has the most exits, and the north wall is the most sheltered (my basement is largely above ground). Cons: 3 small glass-paned windows on 2 walls. 2) The closet under the stairs. Pros: extra shelter from above, a closed space. Cons: located on an exposed outside wall (concrete), only thin plywood between the closet and main room with its glass windows. 3) The laundry room. Pros: no windows, enclosed space. Cons: the gas furnace resides here, sitting by the only 2 exits. 4) The garage, built into the basement. Pros: no windows. Cons: the car, full of gasoline and the metal garage door which, if compromised, would leave us quite exposed to the storm. So, which room should be the storm shelter? Stating reasons behind your suggestions would be encouraged. Thanks for any answers in advance and God bless!
2 Answers
- JoeLv 59 years agoFavorite Answer
Assuming the basement is concrete or cinder block walls, you want to be away from windows, especially plate glass, and in as sturdy a spot as possible. A corner is structurally the strongest.
I'd stay away from fire sources as well, which would rule out the garage and utility room. Of the two that remain, the closet under the stairs seems most likely to withstand a tornado. A concrete exterior wall should survive all but the strongest tornadoes, and even relatively thin plywood is enough to protect you from glass shards if the windows in the adjacent room shatter.
- DustndwindLv 69 years ago
Given if you have the time and money, in the corner that has the most dirt protection, place a concrete room with an outside exit made of corrugated pipe, large enough to provide a crawl space that could be used in case of the house piling up in the basement. Make your door that you enter the safe room out of 1/2 inch plate steel. The walls and roof should be 4'' reinforced concrete. The overall dimensions will depend on how much you are willing to spend for the time you expect to stay in it.
Source(s): Any protection beats no protection.
