Storm Shelter Frequently Asked Questions

The high cost of a storm shelter proves prohibitive for many families, but these families can still find protection during fierce storms. The cheapest alternative to a storm shelter is an interior, windowless, room in your home. This is a free shelter, since you already have it in your house, but it is still dangerous, because the worst storms can destroy your entire home. A more secure alternative is your basement, because it is underground. Unfortunately, a traditional basement is still not as secure as a storm shelter because it is not designed for that purpose, and many homes do not even have basements. 

 

Finally, some families have a safe room within their home that doubles as a storm shelter. The advantage of a safe room is that it is in the home; thus, it is easy to access in an emergency and it can also serve as a closet or pantry. If your safe room is securely anchored and specially designed to withstand a storm, it is essentially comparable to a storm shelter, but unless your safe room was built specifically with storms in mind, it is likely much weaker than a true storm shelter. In addition, a safe room can only serve as a storm shelter if it is in the basement or on the ground level of your home.

 

According to FEMA, the answer is no. FEMA suggests that unless you are a highly skilled contractor, you should not build a storm shelter yourself. If you purchased a manufactured shelter with clear instructions, you might be able to make it yourself, but you would still need a considerable amount of construction knowledge. You do not, however, have to purchase a storm shelter from a shelter manufacturer; many residential contractors can do the work for you as long as they have accurate plans.

 

The law requires that before you install a storm shelter, you must contact your local utility companies to make sure there are no underground utility lines where you plan to install the shelter. In addition, some towns may require you to obtain a permit before building a shelter at your home, so call your local government to inquire about building permits. Finally, it is a good idea to inform your neighbors that you will be building a shelter. Depending on what kind of shelter you buy, it may alter the landscape in the neighborhood, so you should give you neighbors fair warning. In addition, you could consider splitting the cost of a shelter with your neighbor; after all, in the event of an emergency, you might both be using it.