Storm rooms provide a place for homeowners to survive a hurricane without injury. Debris, such as signs, roofing material, and small items left outside become flying missiles in hurricanes.  Storm rooms are built with stronger materials than standard homes that allow them to resist wind loads and penetration by these flying objects. Some of the materials that have been proven to withstand impact include concrete masonry walls with vertical and horizontal reinforcement, plywood-covered wood stud walls filled with dry-stacked concrete blocks, and steel sheets combined with plywood sheathing and wood studs.

Like shear panels, storms rooms can be built onsite or installed as manufactured units. They’re designed to be a “room within a room,” so that they will remain intact even if the surrounding home is destroyed. The storm room should be accessible from all parts of the home to allow homeowners to reach it quickly and safely during a storm. The walls should be anchored to the foundation to resist overturning and lifting up. All sides of the room, including the walls, roof, and door, must be able to resist penetration by windblown objects.

For more information on protecting your homes and homeowners from hurricanes, visit FEMA's website or read our related article, “Riding out the Storm: Protecting homes from hurricane damage.”

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