Planning a safe room in your new custom home.

Planning a Safe Room in your Luxury Custom Home.

Safe Rooms provide a protected space that allows multiple people to shelter in place safely isolated from airborne toxins like radioactive fallout or chemical spill vapors, malicious people, and weather events. You can easily create one in your new home as its being built.

The Safe Room Structure

A safe room consists of an envelope (a room) that has a true NBC filtration system installed that will maintain more air pressure inside the room than outside of it (overpressure) in order to constantly keep air blowing outward from the protected space. This will not allow airborne toxins from migrating back into the room and your lungs.

Our safe rooms are made or thick concrete (floors, walls and ceilings) and built to last hundreds of years.

Safe Room air must be filtered in order to make it safe and breathable. The best filter combination is a bank of pre-filters, an individually DOP scan tested nuclear grade HEPA for radioactive fallout and a nuclear grade carbon adsorber that will adsorb radioactive iodine.

Safe Room Critical Things to Consider

• How well the safe room is sealed – if the safe room is well sealed, then the air needs some way of being returned from where you get it. An overpressure valve over a penetration (hole in the wall or ceiling) is the best solution.
• Safe Room size in volume – we like to see at least one air exchange per hour.
• Safe Room selection – inside safe rooms offer more distance (one component of protection) from radioactive fallout.
• The number of anticipated occupants – the 60 CFM Safe Cell is rated for up to 12 occupants using the ASHRE standard of 5.0 CFM per occupant and 17 occupants using the Israeli standard of 3.5 CFM per occupant. The 120 CFM Safe Cell doubles these occupancy ratings.
• What pressure the air is that is being drawing into the room – is it being drawn from static air or from a central forced-air system? Static air is best. The airspeed through the carbon be must be engineered to ensure it has the proper residency time in the carbon. Speeding up the air before the filter may reduce this residency time below the quarter-second specification issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Safe Room Components

American Safe Room manufactures all of the critical components you need to outfit your safe room. From high security doors to NBC filters, we have everything you need right here:

Safe Room Doors

Options include both ballistic and blast doors.

Most ballistic doors features a 3/8 inch thick ballistic plate that gives UL 752, level 8 protection – withstands multiple hits with 7.62 NATO ball. This can be scaled up to 50 caliber AP (yes, armor piercing).

Doors can also feature a swinging gun port with an internal cam latch, a wide angle viewer on each side of the gun port, a pry-resistant steel lip around the door leaf, and a steel frame that is welded to the door for easy installation.

They are fabricated with a square tubing sub-frame that holds the ballistic plate flat so the EPDM seal is evenly compressed. This sub-frame and ballistic plate door leaf are permanently mounted in an steel angle section frame that has a steel anti-pry lip around the door leaf.

Most ballistic doors come in two standard sizes: 32 x 72 inches and 36 x 80 inches – plus any reasonable custom size.

Our concrete filled blast doors offer outstanding ballistic protection as well as blast and cutting torch resistance.

The steel envelope door leaf is shipped empty. After you mount the door in the rough opening, you fill it with 4,000 PSI concrete. This give you a door leaf that weighs 1,700 pounds. 7.62 NATO ball ammunition makes it about half way through, they are engineered certified for a 50 PSI blast, and cutting torches just need not apply with four inches of concrete fill.

Note the cam latch handles – on both the latch side and the hinge side. Blast doors are made to swing outward so they take the force of the blast in the seated condition. But if someone were to take the time to cut through the massive steel hinges with a torch, they could remove the door and gain entrance. Even if the hinges were cut, the two cam latches on the hinge side will keep the door in place. We also provide wall capture brackets with this option that weld onto the frame and wrap to the inside wall where they are bolted in place. This put six concrete wedge anchors inside your shelter – where they can’t be attacked.

Safe Room Air filtration and ventilation

Your safe room is only as secure as the air you breath. You need a full spectrum nuclear, biological, and chemical air filtration system in your protected space.

We prefer the Swiss Made Filter systems as shown below.

Safe Room Blast valves

Blast valves are heavy steel pressure vessels that mount over the ventilation pipes in a safe room. They close if a detonation occurs nearby, then re-open to allow the NBC air filtration system to keep providing airflow.

Blast valves shut automatically for both pressure and vacuum. They feature lightweight valves that have an extremely fast closing time. When an detonation occurs, the atmosphere is blown outward, leaving a near-vacuum void. This void expands outward until the mass of the atmosphere overcomes it. If you’ve ever seen footage of trees blowing one way, then the other after a detonation, that’s the first two phases of a blast – positive and negative pressure. You need double acting automatic blast valves in your safe room.

Many blast valves also have a manual lock shut function. This is in case there is a structural fire outside your safe room or a malicious person dumping fuel down your vent pipes. Structural fires have a thermal element (heat) and produce massive amounts of carbon dioxide. If you are trapped in your safe room during a fire, turn off the Safe Cell and lock the blast valves shut for a few hours.

Safe Room Ventilation pipes

We prefer steel ventilation pipes to order. They bolt on to the outside of a safe room with concrete wedge anchors and a gasket. The top end features a rain hood with an insect screen inside of it held on with a security fastener.

To get proper ventilation, you need to bring air in, filter it, then return it from where you took it. The best place to take it from is outside – where there is a never-ending supply of oxygen.

The intake should be mounted on the opposite corner or wall from the outflow so the filtered air has to transit the entire shelter before it’s kicked back out. This will help remove the carbon dioxide and moisture the occupants exhale.

Backup hand crank

For long term power outages, you need a way of replenishing the oxygen in your safe room that is sustainable without electricity.

Differential pressure gauge

Know you have positive pressure (overpressure) in your safe room. This gauge give you a continuous reading of the difference in pressure between the protected space and the outside.

Plattner Custom Homes is very familiar with safe rooms and can even build them into crawl space homes.

Learn more about Plattner Custom Homes and Safe Rooms for your new custom home.

Custom Home Wine Cellars

Custom Home wine cellars were considered eye-catchers in any luxury mansions and fine-dining restaurants in the past and even until now. What’s more, it allows wealthy connoisseurs to showcase the wines that they have acquired over time.

That being said, wine cellars are now becoming a modern trend in any residential environment and considered a unique “highlight” of a house. It has turned into new home entertainment, where family members and guests are gathered to mingle and taste good wines. Apart from this, here are seven reasons why wine cellars are a must-have in your humble abode.

Preservation and Improvement

Like any other natural foods, wines are perishable. If you place them in places where temperature and humidity tend to fluctuate, they will spoil. Even a lenient temperature spike can negatively affect wine.

That’s why most wine enthusiasts own wine cellars, which can manage both temperature and humidity levels. This storage room has been long considered as the perfect environment to suitably accommodate wines. Plus, a well-stored wine can flourish a more quality taste, complex flavor, and entrancing aroma.

Wine cellars can also prevent vibrations from any movements or machinery. A vibration-filled setting reduces the quality of any wine. It’s recommended not to move any bottles of wines until you are ready to open them.

Convenience

Another advantage of custom home wine cellars is that you can have a personal stash and direct access to any wines. Whenever there’s a get-together, you don’t have to run to the nearest store to buy wine. You can immediately choose the right wine for a special occasion from your collection in your cellar, in the comfort of your own home.

Organization

Direct access to your wines can let you manage your wine collection in an organized manner. You can even record an entire inventory of the wines alongside any paraphernalia that go with them. You can also efficiently sort your wine collection by labeling wines for ‘longer-term ceiling’ and ‘drinking now.’

Improved Expertise

Having wines in close proximity makes you likely to be more knowledgeable about their varieties. More importantly, you can witness how a wine ages over time. This means you’ll be more well-informed of when they are at their peak and how would they taste every year.

Cost-effective

Having a custom home wine cellar where you can keep many bottles of wine can save you a lot of money in the long-run. Purchasing wines in quantity or on a case-by-case basis means you will pay less per bottle, as many sellers often offer discounts for bulk purchases.

Future Investment

In addition to cost-effectiveness, you can purchase vintage wines at a lower price, then sell them at a higher price after they reached their peak aging. To do so you need to safely keep these wines for many years until they mature, by using a wine cellar. Well-kept wines can pique the interest of potential buyers because they know they’ve been properly stored and have a higher quality when finally opened.

When buying a case of vintage wine to sell it on the market later, you have to be wine-savvy. You have to keep in mind the wines’ provenance, authenticity, and bottle condition. Most auction houses and wine shops, including online sites like sokolin.com, can provide you with this information.

Higher Home Resale Value

Whether it’s already an existing part of your home or included in a plan for a new build, wine cellars offer extra value to any properties. This can serve as an investment in your home. Despite its widespread popularity, majority of homes don’t have one. Therefore, it can be considered as a status symbol that other residences don’t have, which contributes to the home’s resale value and prestige.

Takeaway

Having a custom home wine cellar is mainly for pleasure. You can always invite your friends over to your house for a wine tasting or even just a simple get together with friends enjoying some fine wine. While most wine cellars are simply for hobby and entertainment purposes, many people nowadays end up installing them to add value to their home and grow wine collection.

Plattner Builders of Lake Norman – Luxury Home Builder

“What Makes Plattner Builders of Lake Norman So Different”

Our homes are as unique as the clients we serve. Not only are our homes distinct in how they reflect the individual owners, but they are also distinct in quality – we believe only the best will do. Because our clients’ satisfaction is the highest priority, we limit how many projects we schedule. Each owner and their home deserve our complete attention. Building is a complex process that can be stressful, so our goal is to simplify and make the experience enjoyable. Since 2003, we have sought to work with the best local tradespeople: architects, designers, laborers, and suppliers. Our good reputation attracts excellent partners, which leads to the best finished product. Attention to detail, transparency with costs, and strong communication have been our trademarks.

DESIGN IT

This is the beginning of your journey with Plattner Builders of Lake Norman. At this point, you will work with our team to design your future dream home or discuss a plan you have already selected. The designers and architects will fine tune your design and the engineers will add their expertise. Our goal is to finalize your design to meet your every expectation.

BUILD IT

Once plans are finalized, budgets are set and contracts are signed the fun begins! Your Construction Superintendent is with you every step of the build stage. He will be available on-going and will keep you updated on progress. In addition, our computer application (Co-Construct) will give you access to scheduling, selections, change orders and approvals. Through Co-Construct you will have the ability to stay in communication with all members of the Plattner Team throughout the entire building process.

LIVE IT

A lot of time and energy from both you and the Plattner Team has taken place at this point. You are now ready to move into your new dream home. However, the Plattner Team’s attention to your home does not vanish at this point. We have a warranty process we follow that ensures your home will receive prompt and professional attention to any warranty items that may arise. You and your home are our clients. That is important to us.

Please visit our website at www.plattnercustombuilders.com or our Social Media profiles to learn more or call us at 704-765-0973.

Lake Norman Luxury Home Builder – Plattner Builders

Being a Lake Norman Luxury Home Builder is an absolute blessing and we work with the most amazing clients, designers and subcontractors.

Dream it, Build it, Live it – is the motto at Plattner Builders.

WHAT SETS US APART FROM OTHER CUSTOM BUILDERS?

• Focus & Attention to Detail. At Plattner Builders, we handcraft new, unique luxury homes, and we renovate existing homes to complement our clients’ personalities and lifestyles. “We pride ourselves on building homes of distinction; therefore we limit the number of concurrent projects.”
• Built Better. Expert management and strong relationships enable Plattner Builders to build homes of unsurpassed craftsmanship. “We believe superior custom home building begins with careful planning and designs and continues with meticulous management of the construction details.”
• Responsible Building. Plattner Builders is an unlimited and licensed builder in North Carolina, a member of the Lake Norman Home Builders Association, a certified green builder, and a member of the US Green Building Council. “We have built a team of dependable and skilled tradesmen who deliver the highest quality work.”
• Family Tradition. Karl’s grandfather and great grandfather began building custom homes decades ago. Karl is proud to carry on their tradition of building quality homes and providing the highest level of customer service.

DESIGN IT

This is the beginning of your journey with Plattner Builders. At this point, you will work with our team to design your future dream home or discuss a plan you have already selected. The designers and architects will fine tune your design and the engineers will add their expertise. Our goal is to finalize your design to meet your every expectation.

BUILD IT

Once plans are finalized, budgets are set and contracts are signed the fun begins! Your Construction Superintendent is with you every step of the build stage. He will be available on-going and will keep you updated on progress. In addition, our computer application (Co-Construct) will give you access to scheduling, selections, change orders and approvals. Through Co-Construct you will have the ability to stay in communication with all members of the Plattner Team throughout the entire building process

LIVE IT

A lot of time and energy from both you and the Plattner Team has taken place at this point. You are now ready to move into your new dream home. However, the Plattner Team’s attention to your home does not vanish at this point. We have a warranty process we follow that ensures your home will receive prompt and professional attention to any warranty items that may arise. You and your home are our clients. That is important to us.

Lake Norman Geothermal Heat Pumps

Ground Source Heat Pumps

A ground source heat pump takes advantage of the naturally occurring difference between the above-ground air temperature and the subsurface soil temperature to move heat in support of end uses such as space heating, space cooling (air conditioning), and even water heating. A ground source or geoexchange system consists of a heat pump connected to a series of buried pipes. One can install the pipes either in horizontal trenches just below the ground surface or in vertical boreholes that go several hundred feet below ground. The heat pump circulates a heat-conveying fluid, sometimes water, through the pipes to move heat from point to point.

If the ground temperature is warmer than the ambient air temperature, the heat pump can move heat from the ground to the building. The heat pump can also operate in reverse, moving heat from the ambient air in a building into the ground, in effect cooling the building. Ground source heat pumps require a small amount of electricity to drive the heating/cooling process. For every unit of electricity used in operating the system, the heat pump can deliver as much as five times the energy from the ground, resulting in a net energy benefit.  Geothermal heat pump users should be aware that in the absence of using renewable generated electricity to drive the heating/cooling process (e.g., modes) that geothermal heat pump systems may not be fully fossil-fuel free (e.g., renewable-based).

How It Works

The steps below describe how a heat pump works in “heating mode”—taking heat from the ground and delivering it to a building—and “cooling mode,” which removes heat from the building and transfers it to the ground.

Heating Mode

1. Circulation: The above-ground heat pump moves water or another fluid through a series of buried pipes or ground loops.
2. Heat absorption: As the fluid passes through the ground loop, it absorbs heat from the warmer soil, rock, or ground water around it.
3. Heat exchange and use: The heated fluid returns to the building where it used for useful purposes, such as space or water heating. The system uses a heat exchanger to transfer heat into the building’s existing air handling, distribution, and ventilation system, or with the addition of a desuperheater it can also heat domestic water.
4. Recirculation: Once the fluid transfers its heat to the building, it returns at a lower temperature to the ground loop to be heated again. This process is repeated, moving heat from one point to another for the user’s benefit and comfort.

Cooling Mode

1. Heat exchange and absorption: Water or another fluid absorbs heat from the air inside the building through a heat exchanger, which is the way a typical air conditioner works.
2. Circulation: The above-ground heat pump moves the heated fluid through a series of buried pipes or ground loops.
3. Heat discharge: As the heated fluid passes through the ground loop, it gives off heat to the relatively colder soil, rock, or ground water around it.
4. Recirculation: Once the fluid transfers its heat to the ground, the fluid returns at a lower temperature to the building, where it absorbs heat again. This process is repeated, moving heat from one point to another for the user’s benefit and comfort.

The above-ground heat pump is relatively inexpensive, with underground installation of ground loops (piping) accounting for most of the system’s cost. Heat pumps can support space heating and cooling needs in almost any part of the country, and they can also be used for domestic hot water applications. Increasing the capacity of the piping loops can scale this technology for larger buildings or locations where space heating and cooling, as well as water heating, may be needed for most of the year.