What would the safest place in my house be during a tornado?

Question

My house has a basement, but it is a walkout basement, so not all of it is underground. The only corner that is completely underground is the one that a tornado would most likely be approaching, which experts say is not safe. There is center part of the basement that is directly under a staircase, which might be safe. Would that be best and safest?

Answer 1

i know this might sound wierd but it is the toilet and i am not joking

Answer 2

Tornados destroy houses in 2 ways.

1. By high winds that suck them off the ground.

2. Low air pressure which causes them to collapse.

Basically you need to be somewhere that you won't be lifted off into the air or a place which won't fall on you.

The most structurually strong part of the house is often the best place to be (eg, in earthquakes people are told to crouch in a door frame).

The bathroom is usually the smallest room and so the strongest. It is less likely to be torn apart and less likely to collapse.

Another place would bea storage space under concrete or strong steel stairs.

Possibly there is a part of your basement that fits this bill.

If you are uncertain call the local emergency services and ask them. They would probably be happy to advice you on what to do.

Answer 3

I think under the stair case is your best option, or any thing thats made out of cement.

Answer 4

We dont have tornadoes in california, but i heard an empty closet is the safest... even in an earthquake.

Answer 5

under the stairs, and under an over-turned couch

Answer 6

basement.hide there..make sure that its roof is brick n concrete laid.if not sorry my frend,the only thing to do is,shift ur house somewhere else which is free from tornadoes.i wud suggest if u r plannin to get a house near a tornado affected area,construct the house such dat its made wid bricks n concrete n also make sure u have a concrete roof along with it.

Answer 7

either a bathroom in your shower or bathtub or a door post. You know like what you walk under when you go in or out of a door. That is the strongest part of you house. The basement could work too.

Answer 8

DEFINITELY the basement. The basement is the foundation to your house and will not fly away with a tornado. Also your basement is sturdy in the ground and is made completely out of cement. If you dont have a basment maybe some other safe area. Go the lowest to the ground as possible.

Answer 9

I prefer a strong work bench against the under ground wall.

Answer 10

Tornadoes are like a large vacuum cleaner pipe with attitude, check out what your vac can attach to and lift off the floor.

Therefore you need something underground that is immovable, alternatively your basement, install a steel welded box, bolted to a huge mass/weighted object say the garage / basemet floor slab. Equipe the with provisions for a period of time and a bucket to pee in, nobody notices or even minds nature calls in the dark and allow for all for numbers of people that are going to be confined  in there. A tornado or Hurricane or cyclone is non selective , they are all distructive if it flies if it can then it will.

You could try chaining yourself to the toilet bowl under the stairs in a door way in the basement. But suggest it would be  a funny dunny given the requirements. Be safe be prepared. Alternative, interstate travel at speed and death.

magoooo

Answer 11

A bathtub can be a spot to go to in the event of a tornado or the inside of an overturned sofa.

interior hallway or room on the lowest floor. Putting as many walls as you can between you and the outside will provide additional protection. Less than 2 percent of all tornadoes are powerful enough to completely destroy a sturdy building. Make sure there are no windows or glass doors in your safe place and keep this place uncluttered.

Answer 12

a room with no windows is "safe".

Answer 13

Depends.  In my last apartment, I lived over a carport, and we all agreed that in an earthquake, I would end up in the carport anyway.

If you are outdoors, do NOT get under a tree - danger of attracting lightning.

Tornadoes are strange critters.  The old family story was of one where the folk of a country church all gathered the next morning to give thanks for surviving - and found the floor, pews, hymnals and podium intact, though the walls and roof had entirely disappeared.  Service was conducted in the open air, in the usual area.  (This was a Sunday.)

Outdoors, a depression in the ground might help.  Indoors, a cellar, yes, but a sturdy one without a great deal to fall down over you...  And a brick house is not a good place - bricks can be missiles or heavy to get off of you.

It also depends on the location of your house - as you noted, your walkout basement might not be perfectly protected.  Your best bet is to  talk to the next building inspector who is in your home to give you an opinion.

Answer 14

a tall shower

thats that i heard

well have u seen that movie

Night of the Twisters

the little boy hides in the tall shower with his little brother

and they survived!

so i guess that works

but if there is glass somewhere then ehh u will probz get hurt

but probz not die

so thats better than actually dying!

Answer 15

yes under the stairs.

Answer 16

basement.  if you dont have a basement then in the middle of the house. dont be by any windows.

Answer 17

The bacement under stairs. Make shure you have a 72 hour pereines kit with you!