Tornado and hurricane season are rapidly approaching, leaving those of us who are standing in the path of possible disaster to consider how prepared we truly are.
No one wants to be left ill-prepared for when devastation day finally arrives, but too often we hesitate when it comes to investing in the safety of our houses when it comes to storm shelters.
The cause of this hesitation is that there are a lot of questions surrounding the legitimacy of storm shelters; mainly these concerns address the value, need, difficulty, versatility and overall soundness of these safe havens.
It is important to be informed when making a choice about something so important, so we put together a list of reasons why we think you should get a storm shelter for your home.
First, some tornado preparedness tips:
As you can see in this infographic, there are some states that are more highly impacted by tornadoes than others. If you live in one of these regions, a tornado shelter is much more likely to be necessary than it might in other places.
However, no matter where you live, having a shelter is always a great idea. Read on to find out why you need a storm shelter in your home.
Here are 5 Reasons to Add a Storm Shelter to Your Home
1. A Storm Shelter Will Increase Value to Your Home
A lot of people complain that storm shelters cost an arm and a leg. Though the initial cost of a storm cellar might seem outrageous, there is some evidence that has come to surface that storm shelters might actually be cost effective. Storm shelters have the ability to create a net benefit in cost analysis by adding value to your home.
Real estate agents in Oklahoma estimate that the addition of a tornado shelter could increase your home's value between $1,000 and $2,000. Some even equated storm shelters to a kitchen renovation. The return on your money, depending on your area, could be 2/3 of the original cost of installation. In real estate terms, that's a pretty fair investment.
2. Your home might be susceptible to devastating wind patterns.
Tornadoes generate wind that can and will damage most homes they meet. As evidenced by this video, tornadoes of all sizes and magnitudes have the potential to seriously damage your home and harm your family.
3. They are easier to install than you would imagine.
An underground storm shelter can be easily placed in your garage. The build may take up an entire weekend, however, the overall installation is made easy with some know-how and good tools.
This video breaks down exactly what steps you need to do in order to successfully implement an underground storm cellar.
4. Storm Shelters are not confined to only being constructed underground.
Contrary to popular belief, there is a reason to believe that storm shelters above ground are useful also. Joseph Dannemiller has constructed 15 years’ worth of research at Texas Tech University’s National Wind Institute that demonstrates the safety of above-ground storm shelters.
5. Storm Shelters Actually Work
This grisly image below just about sums it up. With the exception of the storm shelter, all forms of infrastructure were completely obliterated by an F5 Tornado in Moore, OK. The storm shelter survived the devastating winds, and remained the lone survivor amongst broken wood and shattered glass.
While conducting the research to determine whether to get a storm shelter, make sure to keep this information in mind.
As storm season approaches, you might have to make your decision sooner rather than later.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 20, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
I have been a storm spotter for over 25 years, I have worked search and rescue after tornadoes. In the event you are caught in an EF4-EF5, you will NOT survive unless you are in a shelter.
Storm shelters are an insurance policy that you don’t want to use but when needed there is no substitute. Those who argue that tornadoes are rare where they are (i.e. Salt Lake City) so there no need build one, seem to forget that it takes only one tornado to kill you. There have been many who have lived all their lives in Tornado Ally that never had to actually needed to use one to save their life but, that didn’t stop them from building one. Also sever thunderstorm can have wind more than 100 mph (up to 150 mph at least) even without a tornado. They can also have micro down bursts that can do as much damage as a tornado. And then there’s hail, I’ve it the size of my fist more than once, 4-5 inches. Then there was volleyball size one that fell about 40 miles from here.
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