Storm shelter: an overkill? (Knoxville: house, construction, tornadoes)

[augshel]

We are in the process of getting a house built. The house will have a basement. With the storm that hit our area this year, I really want a safe place to be in.

With a basement, I'm trying to figure out if having a storm room in the basement would then be an overkill. I did look at one of the links I found here that shows how many tornadoes have hit the area and what strength.

I'm thinking it will be too much to have a safe room in the basement and the basement would be safe enough. I definitely care about the extra cost but a part of me is questioning the safety.

What's your thought? It's overkill, right? I guess I need someone to agree with me. lol. Please share your honest opinion.

[Blue Ridge]

A well-constructed basement will keep you safe from most storm winds. No storm shelter needed in this portion of the country, IMHO.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by jmattjohns

A well-constructed basement will keep you safe from most storm winds. No storm shelter needed in this portion of the country, IMHO.

Agreed. We do not have a lengthy history of tornadoes, no matter what anyone says. Any area can get hit with a tornado. My hometown in Massachusetts was just hit with one.

In Western Tennessee they do have sirens and shelters. It's common. Not here.

[Ashrael]

The geography in eastern TN doesn't support easy formation of tornadoes. It does, however, support straight line winds. One of the most important things you can do is make sure than when the builder installs your roof trusses, they get hurricane clips.

Hurricane clips? In TN? Yes. You can think of them as 'high wind clips' if you like. Properly installed, they'll save you a ton of headaches if you do ever find yourself in a storm that has high straight line winds. And they're disgustingly cheap. Well worth the investment.

If you want to make a safe place in your basement, just take the laundry room (for example, some room w/o windows) and make sure the ceiling isn't drywall. I suggest concrete board (which is a good idea in any room that's going to be exposed to lots of moisture anyway). Stock the room up with some bottled water, some canned food, a can opener(!), a box of candy bars or some other comfort food, batteries, flashlights and a radio. That way you've got a place to retreat to if a storm freaks you out or whatever.

Me, I like to sit on the porch and watch the funnel clouds roll in. But I get cranky when it rains in my beer. I need to invent a beer sippy cup or something.

[Blue Ridge]

Originally Posted by Ashrael

The geography in eastern TN doesn't support easy formation of tornadoes. It does, however, support straight line winds. One of the most important things you can do is make sure than when the builder installs your roof trusses, they get hurricane clips.

Hurricane clips? In TN? Yes. You can think of them as 'high wind clips' if you like. Properly installed, they'll save you a ton of headaches if you do ever find yourself in a storm that has high straight line winds. And they're disgustingly cheap. Well worth the investment.

If you want to make a safe place in your basement, just take the laundry room (for example, some room w/o windows) and make sure the ceiling isn't drywall. I suggest concrete board (which is a good idea in any room that's going to be exposed to lots of moisture anyway). Stock the room up with some bottled water, some canned food, a can opener(!), a box of candy bars or some other comfort food, batteries, flashlights and a radio. That way you've got a place to retreat to if a storm freaks you out or whatever.

Me, I like to sit on the porch and watch the funnel clouds roll in. But I get cranky when it rains in my beer. I need to invent a beer sippy cup or something.

Good advice. I'm not an expert on roofing or home construction, but I know a bit about meteorology and disaster preparedness. Lines of thunderstorms seem to LOVE to roll off the plateau in the spring and summer and pick up steam while heading toward Knoxville. -snip- Areas east of the plateau, including but not limited to Knoxville, are vulnerable and occasionally subjected to straight line winds of 60 MPH or greater. While the probabilities are certainly not as high as say Western and Middle Tennessee, destructive straight-line wind events occur multiple times a year in East Tennessee. We in the Tri-Cities are typically spared the worst.

As an aside, your advice for a safe room is also relevant to severe winter weather. It's a matter of when, not if, Knoxville is affected by a blizzard or ice storm. Having supplies to last a few days without power is never a bad idea.

[weisgarber1]

Originally Posted by jmattjohns

but I know that the Knoxville area routinely sees winds of 60 MPH or greater.

Actually, the Knoxville area "DOES NOT" routinely see/have winds of 60 mph or greater. Not routine at all, quite uncommon in fact.

[Blue Ridge]

Originally Posted by weisgarber1

Actually, the Knoxville area "DOES NOT" routinely see/have winds of 60 mph or greater. Not routine at all, quite uncommon in fact.

You are correct, and thank you for catching my error. I will revise my post to state my point more accurately: areas east of the plateau, including but not limited to Knoxville, are vulnerable and occasionally subjected to straight line winds of 60 MPH or greater. While the probabilities are certainly not as high as say Western and Middle Tennessee, destructive straight-line wind events occur multiple times a year in East Tennessee.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by jmattjohns

You are correct, and thank you for catching my error. I will revise my post to state my point more accurately: areas east of the plateau, including but not limited to Knoxville, are vulnerable and occasionally subjected to straight line winds of 60 MPH or greater. While the probabilities are certainly not as high as say Western and Middle Tennessee, destructive straight-line wind events occur multiple times a year in East Tennessee.

Try occasionally. Not even every year.

[Ashrael]

I'm ex-military. You mention preparing for the worst around me and my brain starts ticking off an inventory list of things to have, as well as modifications to make to existing structures to harden them against whatever.

[augshel]

Thanks all for the input. I'll ask the builder about the hurricane clips.