Underground Panic Rooms – What Are They & Why You Need One!
What would you do if a tornado strikes or you need protection from a potential threat? The obvious choice would be to take shelter but just hiding in your basement under a table isn’t the right move! For complete protection and purpose building, safe rooms are very important as they provide safety from weather emergencies & even security threats.
Another name for the safe room is a panic room, and they are both used interchangeably. Depending on your requirements, a safe panic room can be built for a specific purpose as well – For example, a panic room can be used to protect important items & people from blasts or forced entry. In this case, the panic room will be built with blast mitigation in mind and will involve the use of blast proof windows, bullet proof doors, and walls made from FP solutions.
Underground Panic Rooms – What Are They?
A panic room is a purpose build room that provides protection to the people inside it. Such rooms can be built inside homes, government buildings, embassies, and even in public places.
When we talk about panic rooms, they are of two types:
- Above Ground Panic Rooms
- Underground Panic Rooms
The above-ground panic rooms are usually built at the ground level and provide easy access in case of emergencies. However, such rooms are not useful in case of tornados as flying debris can easily collapse on the room and make it vulnerable. Similarly, the above-ground panic rooms can be easily found as well, which makes them less secure in case of an attack by criminals.
On the other hand, underground panic rooms are built under the ground and thus can easily handle storms & tornadoes. And even in the case of an attack or blast, it can offer greater protection since most of the structure is built below the ground.
Why You Need an Underground Panic Room
Now let’s explore some of the reasons why you need an underground panic room:
1. Safety
The first and most obvious benefit is that an underground panic room provides safety from extreme weather or in case of an attack.
For example, debris can fall on an above-ground panic room from all sides. On the other hand, it will only affect the entrance or the top side of an underground panic room.
And in the case of a potential blast, an underground panic room can offer higher protection since the structure will be below the ground! On top of that, these structures can be reinforced with blast proof windows, blast proof doors, and even forced entry resistant doors for extra protection.
2. Higher Property Value
Did you know that building an underground panic room in your home can also increase its property value? Yes, adding a safe room in your house can not only increase the property value but can also serve as an additional selling point!
Especially in the areas which need protection from extreme weather or require more security, can benefit a lot from a built-in safe/panic room.
3. Extra Storage
Although a panic room is built to provide protection & security in case of a crisis or attack, it can also serve as an additional storage space throughout the year.
So besides getting security, you can use the panic room to store items that otherwise may take up too much space in your home! Another benefit is that you can also stockpile necessary items & store them in your panic room.