Many people living along the coastal regions or high wind areas face the risks of hurricanes and tornadoes every year. One of the common ways of protecting yourself and your family from these calamities is by building a storm shelter.
These structures provide a different level of protection that is not offered by most homes. Here are some things you need to consider when building a storm shelter.
Proper Ventilation
While storm shelters are meant to be enclosed, it is important to remember one essential factor you need to survive in there, which is breathing. Whether it is a closet size storm shelter that is made for one person or a large one for the family, install a proper ventilation system to help you when you are in there.
Good ventilation will remove contaminants like airborne bacteria and viruses that may be present during the storm period.
Water and Food Supply
Water and food are essential factors for life that everybody needs. Having enough stock of foodstuffs and a source of drinking water is necessary.
One thing you need to understand during storms is that you never know when it will last, so ensure you have enough food and water that would last even for one month.
Power Supply for Lights
Since you’ll be in a closed compartment with little or no natural light entering in, you will want electricity to work. This can be easily achieved by having a standby generator. However, it will also need enough fuel storage and an effective means of disposing of exhaust.
Although you might have a closet size storm shelter, having a generator in place will need that you ensure its exhaust system does not affect you when you are in there.
Waste System
Another significant factor to consider when building a storm shelter is waste management. Proper human waste disposal should be included in the design of the shelter and be set during the building process.
This allows people to survive in the shelter without going out or getting inconvenienced by their waste while in there.
Multiple Exits
There is no reason of getting safety in the storm shelter, only to get stuck later when it’s over. Therefore, you should always have more than one exit. This will make you feel less constrained, having a feeling that you will get out safely when the storm is over.
Personal Stuff
This is one of the underrated considerations when designing storm shelters, but it is just as important as the previous ones. You will definitely go crazy if you have insufficient habitability in the bunker if the storm is to extend much longer.
So, ensure you have comfortable personal necessities in there. Whether it is a closet size storm shelter or big enough for family, ensure you got a comfortable bed, Seats, a dining area, and some few entertainment features.
Conclusion.
The above factors are just a few things you need to consider when designing and building a storm shelter. Reach out to qualified personnel to further guide you on what you need to have for a safe and habitable storm shelter.
