The current security crisis has made many people think – what can I do today to make my tomorrow calmer and safer?
As the largest producer of cellars in the neighboring countries and as residents of the Baltic States, we also feel our duty is to contribute to the general security by our production and by educating on the topic on – how to create a safe space from a cellar. There are several reasons to use a cellar for storing jam jars and water bottles and not the rooms of your house.
Starting with how long the average house stays warm when the electricity goes out.
Today’s heating solutions require electricity in one way or another to keep the home warm, and in the event of a power outage, the average house stays warm for 1-3 days before the cold starts to bite. The cellar, on the other hand, is covered with soil, and the underground geothermal heat maintains a stable plus degree in the cellar even in the coldest winters. Thanks to this, creating heat in the cellar is easy and very energy-efficient. Today, it is already a popular choice to add a chimney pipe to your cellar right from the start. If, for whatever reason, one day you need to heat the rooms, all you have to do is open the valve, connect the oven, and voila you are ready to go. It is also possible to install an electric radiator or a gas heater. In addition, it is possible to purchase a generator or a solar energy system for as little as 500 euros, which can light up the light bulb in the cellar and charge a phone or a communication device. During the planning of the cellar, it is reasonable to immediately install the cables for such solutions, and if desired in the future, then the rest of the system can be installed quickly.
Inventory retention.
The cellars have a stable and cool temperature and high humidity throughout the year. However, the opposite – a dry and warm environment in living spaces is often not suitable for long-term storage. The potatoes and carrots in the cellars are still crunchy and tasty even in early spring. However, such products cannot be stored in refrigerators for more than a couple of weeks. In addition, the products in the cellar are protected from daylight, and the stored products in the jars are preserved for a long time. Keeping stocks separate also has psychological advantages. First, the stock is not a readily available part of everyday food and is located away from the kitchen. Second, a backup is something that provides peace of mind. The simple knowledge that there is a durable and protected place in your home, where there is food, drink, first aid, and other necessary things, and nothing will happen to it – ensures a peaceful sleep at night for many people.
You can find a recommended Estonian #olevalmis emergency supplies guide here!
The third important factor is durability.
Be it extreme weather conditions such as strong winds and falling trees, heat waves or extremely low temperatures, fires, or military threats. Conventional residential buildings are designed to only last under ideal conditions. Revonia cellars and houses, on the other hand, are designed to last from generation to generation and have a calculated useful life of 100 years. If a tree falls on a wooden rafter, a tin roof, or a prefabricated house, something will probably break and the waterproofing will suffer. Of course, depending on the size of the tree and the force of the fall, it is very likely that nothing will happen to our underground house or cellar. The lamps in the ceiling and the forks in the drawer may shake a little, but structurally nothing is affected. This is because the walls and ceiling of our cellars and houses are made of at least 9cm thick concrete with a steel reinforcing mesh inside. In turn, it is covered with a layer of ~10cm PUR foam, on top of which there is also a ~1m thick layer of soil. In addition, durability is provided by the vaulted ceiling, which distributes weight better than a flat roof design.
We are so confident in the durability of our solution that we also carried out blast tests with our smallest cellar (4.5 m²). The cellar being tested was not covered with PUR foam or 1m thick soil as recommended but with partially individual sandbags. The cellar successfully withstood 3 x 81mm shrapnel mortars from a distance of 4m, 3 x 105mm shrapnel mortars from a distance of 2m, and after that also 2 x 120mm shrapnel mortars from a distance of 1m. In other words, our cellars can be effectively used as a bomb shelter and as a bunker.
Estonian Army general Riho Terras has said: “All our wars have been won on Grandma’s potato cellar!”
We at Revonia agree with that theory there must be stocks and a backup plan. Be it the new coronavirus that does not allow you to leave the house or a military situation during which there is no access to the grocery store or electricity. Throughout history, the cellar has been a cornerstone of national defense and an unwavering part of civil defense. However, underground peace of mind is also for times when there is no crisis or war. Cellars keep very large quantities of garden produce fresh, jars of jam free from fermentation, and wines at the right temperature until loved ones come to visit at zero cost. Better to be safe than sorry and rather have 5 jam jars over than 1 missing!
Here you can also find a good example of a Revonia customer who has prepared his cellar for everything possible:
