5 minute read
I know, I know, brain-eating zombies aren’t real (I hope), but just go with me. Think about this for a moment. You’re home, scrolling through Instagram, and you hear on the news that a zombie outbreak is spreading fast. It sounds like a joke, but then you hear sirens and, suddenly, the Walking Dead starts to seem possible. Luckily, you’re not Rick and you didn’t wake up alone in a hospital after months of being in a coma, but what do you do?
You run to lock the doors. You shut all your windows. And then what? How long will you last? Was it even a good idea you stayed in? Will your house last against a horde of zombies? If it will, is it going to last for weeks, months, years…? You also need to think about hurricanes, break-ins, power outages, and basically, all situations where your house has to stay strong and secure.
If your house can handle a zombie apocalypse, then it can handle anything (besides probably a nuclear blast), so let’s see how it would hold up.
Is Your House Strong Enough for a Zombie Horde?
The structure of your home is key here and, if zombies start roaming the streets, you’ll have a lot less to worry about if your construction contractor did a good job.
A typical home is wood-framed and it might seem like it’s solid, but it’s actually not. Wood can easily be broken, burned, or smashed through with enough force (especially if there’s rot), so it’s not great for keeping zombies or anything else out. Brick and concrete are much, much stronger and they can take a real beating. They’re not invincible, though, and cracks can cause issues over time.
Also, if the doors and windows aren’t reinforced, they’ll fail sooner or later. And with nasty zombies lurking around – you definitely do not want that.
Your best option would be a steel-reinforced home because those are built to handle earthquakes, explosions, and they’re pretty much zombie-proof. There’s just one problem, though – they’re crazy expensive.
But let’s say your walls are strong enough. Is that also the case for your windows and doors? If your door is flimsy or if you have regular glass windows, a zombie will become your new roommate really soon. Solid steel doors are the best option, along with reinforced locks and shatterproof glass. Rolling metal shutters can be an extra layer of protection, but only if you already have them installed when things go bad.
Then there’s your roof. From what I’ve learned about zombies so far, they’re not the best climbers, but if they pile up, your roof will need to hold under their weight. That means that asphalt shingles and anything lightweight like that isn’t ideal. Metal and tile roofs are a lot stronger and they’ll last for years before they break down.
So, how’d your house do? Some of these things are extreme, but we already have homes that are built for tornadoes and hurricanes and they follow some of these survival rules. If your house can survive a natural disaster, it’s much more likely to keep the zombies out.
How to Keep Threats Out
Zombies aren’t your only threat and I’d go so far as to say that people are even more dangerous than zombies (yes, I watched a lot of ‘The Walking Dead’). And no matter how strong your home is, if anyone or anything can easily break in, it’s useless.
The first things you need to secure are windows and doors because those are the easiest entry points. A weak door with a hollow core doesn’t stand a chance against an attack, whether it comes from people or from zombies. A solid-core door or, even better, a steel security door will make breaking in much harder.
Your windows are a weak point, too, and regular glass will shatter instantly. If you don’t have shatterproof glass, window bars will help. Traditional wooden boards will work in a pinch, but they’re not reliable in the long run. If your home is properly reinforced, you’re safe inside, and nothing else can get in.
You can also use the space around your house as extra security. If you have thorny bushes under windows, climbing will be very difficult. Gravel paths will create noise that will let you know something’s moving outside, and a fence can keep threats further away. A tall metal fence would be best because it’s not easy to climb and it doesn’t burn like wood.
Conclusion
I think it’s safe to say none of our houses did that well and, sooner or later, we’d all be moving out in the event of a zombie apocalypse. However, if you have some cash to burn and you’re feeling inspired (and/or paranoid), you can go ahead and start making your house sturdier right away.
If you don’t, remember that most people live in houses that aren’t zombie-proof, so at least you won’t be wandering outside alone.
2 Interlinking Opportunities:
From https://joesdaily.com/cars/motopeds-survival-motorcycle/ with anchor zombie invasions
From https://joesdaily.com/home/making-your-new-home-feel-safe/ with anchor it’s a place where you feel safe
