(NewsNation) — There has been a spike in demand for panic rooms, once thought to be the domain of the rich and famous. Now, safe rooms are making a comeback with the middle class.
Reasons for the construction boom range from protecting valuables to having extra storage space, but security is the primary motivator.
New panic rooms aren’t the windowless, metal boxes of the past either. Construction companies are now creating rooms that may not even be recognizable as panic rooms to those who don’t already know what they are.
NewsNation’s Brian Entin took a look at the upgrades new panic rooms have had.
Rather than resembling a bank vault, doors look like normal wood on the outside but have a steel core and special locks that make them function like a vault. Locking mechanisms in multiple locations help make things extra secure, and the doors can be added to any room in a house without dedicating a separate space for a panic room.
Builders also use products to add security, such as lightweight glass-like material that can stop bullets from entering the home.
The rooms are popular with celebrities and CEOs but are also appealing to everyday Americans, with costs to fortify a home ranging from $6,000 to $10,000.
The ability to turn any room into a panic room also makes it easier for homeowners in an emergency, said Fortified and Ballistic Security owner David Vranicar.
“The idea of a panic room is, I figured out that I got a bad guy trying to get in, and I’m gonna go, right now, hide in the room. That’s probably not up to date,” he told NewsNation. “We say, take the master bedroom, which you’re going to want to make beautiful anyway, change the door, maybe put a window in, now you’re sleeping in the safest place. We still hope nothing happens. But if it does, it’s not going to bother you and you don’t have to go any place. You’re already there.”
From there, residents can stay in bed and call the police without having to worry about heading to a specific area of the house while someone else is trying to break in.