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Q I live in “Tornado Alley” in the panhandle of Texas. So far we haven’t been hit by any twisters, but we’ve had our share of close calls. On several occasions, we’ve waited it out in the bathroom because it’s windowless and in the center of the house. Lately I’ve been hearing about storm shelters that can be built right into the house. Can I build one myself? How are they built?
A Yes, you can construct your own storm shelter (now called a “safe room”). Most people go to an interior room as you did or head for the cellar and hope for the best. Unfortunately, even those areas aren’t designed to withstand extreme winds and the wind-driven debris that comes with them. A drywalled, 2x4-framed room is no match for a 2x4 traveling at 100-plus miles an hour, even if it’s in the middle of a house. “Force 5” tornadoes or C5 hurricanes (the two most serious storms) can pack winds of more than 200 mph-enough to blow a well built house right off its foundation. So a safe room can pay off, especially if you live in a vulnerable high-windzone area. (See Fig. A, to find the wind zone you live in.) It won’t cost a fortune, either. A little elbow grease and $1,000 worth of materials will all but guarantee your family’s injury-free survival in any storm that comes down the pike.
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