These doors are constructed of impact resistant materials and have specially reinforced door frames. The hinges on out-swinging doors should be equipped with studs that prevent the door from being opened when the hinge pins are removed from the outside.įor those with higher-security needs, special doors are available that are made specifically for safe rooms. Screws used on the door hinges should also be fastened into the wall framing. Additional security can be obtained by also installing deadbolt locks at the top and bottom of the door.Īll lock strike plates should be reinforced so that the screws holding the plate are attached into the wall framing rather than just into the door frame itself. The door should be equipped with at least one heavy-duty deadbolt lock located at the center of the door. The door should be replaced with one made of either solid wood or metal. Existing interior doors are typically made of hollow core wood and these types of doors are not suitable for use as safe room doors. A simple safe room can utilize a swinging door that fits into a standard door opening. The safe room should have a sturdy door that is capable of preventing an intruder from forcing his way into the room through the door. Ideally, the safe room would be located at the interior rather than the exterior of the home, and have no accessible windows. A central location near sleeping and living areas is usually a better choice than a more remote location such as a basement or attic. The safe room should be conveniently located in the home so occupants can quickly reach it in the event of an emergency. Bathrooms often make good safe rooms and they provide the added benefits of having both toilet facilities and a supply of fresh water. Rooms such as bedrooms, closets, laundry rooms, and storage rooms are commonly used as safe rooms. Most homeowners can't afford to built a dedicated safe room in their homes, so instead take an ordinary room in their house and equip it so that it can do double-duty as a safe room. The following are some basic guidelines that can be used when planning a safe room: In general, homeowners that face a low to moderate degree of security risk can construct a simple safe room, while homeowners that face a high-degree of security risk may need to construct a more elaborate type of safe room. Finally, the home's location, surroundings, and police response times should also be evaluated.Īt the conclusion of the home security assessment, you should have a better idea of what type of safe room you should construct. The number of occupants of the home, their ages, and their ability to defend themselves should also be considered. This assessment should identify the homeowners security risk profile, including the identification of likely attackers and their capabilities. Prior to planning a safe room, a home security assessment should be conducted. Homeowners located in rural areas or in places that have a slower police response may need to stay in their safe room a little longer. This should be fifteen minutes or less in most urban areas in the United States. Emphasis should be placed on the word "temporary": in the vast majority of cases, the safe room only needs to be used for the short period of time it takes for the police to arrive at your home after they have been called. The primary goal of a safe room is to provide a temporary area of refuge in the unlikely event that an intruder invades your home. (This article refers to safe rooms used to protect against human attack and does not apply to safe rooms used to provide protection against weather.) The term "safe room" can also be used to describe a room that is used as a shelter that can be used during severe weather events such as tornadoes or hurricanes. Safe rooms are also sometimes called "panic rooms", a name that has become more popular since the release of a movie by the same name. Safe rooms are places that can be used to hide when an intruder invades your home.
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