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Some might have seen the move 'Panic Room', starring Jodie Foster and wondered about the functions of such a room. It gives the family members a safe hiding place when their home has been invaded by outsiders such as burglars.
Although they've been around for years, many people had never heard of them until the Jodie Foster movie, 'Panic Room', came out. This is not a new concept, but it seems to be gaining in popularity as time goes by.
It used to be that only the wealthy could afford this type of safe. However, building a safe room it is just as affordable as building or renovating any other room currently. If it's not feasible to build an addition for whatever reason, you can just as easily convert an existing room. Each will cost you some money, but the designs are similar.
A safe room will be built with fortified walls and ceilings, and obviously, the door should be impenetrable. The room can also be equipped for habitation and communication as well.
The standard 2 x 4 skeleton with drywall construction is not sufficient for the walls of a safe room. If you can afford it, steel lined walls will make for good fortification. A choice that is suitable for those on a tighter budget is fortifying it with bricks or cement. Just like any construction project, local building codes and zoning regulations must be observed.
Cement or brick reinforcement is not suitable for ceilings due to weight bearing issues. Layers of tin or heavy duty wood can be used to fortify this area. For many, the ceiling is not so important as few homes have areas such as a skylight that allows for easy penetration into the home.
You must pay the most attention to the door. It should be as close to impenetrable as you can make it. Many office buildings are equipped with double core metal doors that should work for this purpose. Finish by adding a heavy duty deadbolt lock system.
Should you need to double up the room as a type of shelter, you need to check the other requirements. A water supply and a toilet, as well a small amount of food should be added in case you have to spend several hours there.
Other things to include are a telephone, for sure, and possibly a video camera system to see what's going on outside. The telephone is essential for keeping in contact with local authorities, as well as family and other loved ones.
In addition to the uses mentioned above, a panic room can also provide shelter form a house fire in the event there is no way out. Of course, this will only work if your room is constructed correctly. The panic room can double up as a room that stores your treasure and important objects. They are also effective for use as tornado and hurricane shelters.
We all hope it will never come to this, but your safe room can be used to protect you from intruders if you can get to it quickly. The FBI reports that a forcible rape takes place every five minutes in this country. Unfortunately, a fairly high percentage of these occur inside the home. Even worse is that out of these, many are committed by people you know or live with.
It's not as expensive as it sounds to create a room like this. Check it out and you might just want to set one up today.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
