When thinking of the ideal qualities for a home to have, “safe” is definitely on the list. We all want our houses to be our own impenetrable fortresses, where we can stay safe from anything that might cause us harm. Building your own custom house makes it even easier to add in features that will leave you feeling secure that your home is the safest place for your family to be — by having a safe room where you can retreat when a threat is nearby.
Safe Room Ideas
A safe room is defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a “hardened structure specifically designed” to meet FEMA’s criteria, and “provide near-absolute protection in extreme weather events, including tornadoes and hurricanes.” Safe rooms, however, can be useful even for situations outside of natural disasters, such as home invasions, or even a larger-scale emergency none of us can see coming.
Whatever the reason, having a safe room in your home is an excellent idea. One of the benefits of building a custom house is that you can have a safe room built into it, instead of having to convert an already-existing room into a safe room or having to add a safe room onto a built house. Having a safe room built into a custom home is more affordable overall, as well as being more affordable, accessible, and convenient than having to add a safe room to an existing home.
Types Of Safe Rooms
There are different types of safe rooms, depending on what exactly they are built for. Most common are tornado and hurricane safe rooms. However, since you are extremely unlikely to encounter one of those in Arizona, a better idea is a “panic room.” A panic room, or home invasion safe room, is a room into which you and your family can retreat if you are ever threatened by home invaders or burglars. A panic room should have only one entrance and exit, and a door that locks from the inside and is made of a material that is thick and sturdy enough to withstand someone trying to break it down (such as metal sheets). If your safe room has windows, they should be barricaded or shatter-proof to prevent entry from outside.
What else should your safe room — no matter what kind — have? Here are some ideas:
- A Toilet: It’s an unpleasant thought, but a necessary one. If you’re going to spend any time in your panic room, you’ve got to have some kind of toilet to take care of business. While a bucket with a lid works, one of the major benefits of building a custom home with a safe room is that you can build a toilet device that will carry waste away from the room. Make sure to stock toilet paper, as well.
- A First-Aid Kit: It’s always good to have a first-aid kit around, and it’s an especially good idea in your safe room in case anyone is injured in a scuffle while getting to the safe room. Put together a good, comprehensive first-aid kit, including bandages, anti-bacterial wipes, and other useful items.
- Drinking Water & Long-Lasting Food: It’s important to have food and clean water in your safe room in case you have to camp out there for a few days. Put a few gallons of water and some non-perishable food items, such as canned vegetables, freeze-dried fruit, and protein bars, in your safe room.
There are many other useful items to stock in your safe room. Make a list of everything you’d need if you were to spend a few hours – or even a few days – in a single room with the rest of your household.
Build a Safe Room with Your New Home
Are you interested in including a safe room with the house of your dreams? We can make it happen. If you have any questions, or if you want to get started, call us now at (928)-776-0301.