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Let's talk about storm cellars/shelters

22K views 67 replies 30 participants last post by  shooterX 
#1 ·
This isn't necessarily home "defense," per se, but this is probably the best sub-forum for it. After tornadoes swept through the area I'm from, Tuscaloosa, AL. and nearby, it started me to thinking. I now live in East Tennessee where very rarely is there a serious tornado threat. But the thing is, it only takes one....

So Wednesday before last, while the Southeast was getting ravaged, we had several tornado warnings with a few reports of one actually seen. It occurred to me that the only place I had to take my little boys in case it became real is the master bedroom closet. That's not good enough, so I've started seriously thinking about it. Shelters are extremely rare around here, by the way.

I've looked at this model:

FlatSafe Shelters

I can afford it, but I don't really "want" to spend the money, especially with the rarity of tornadoes around here (but again, it only takes one). I've also looked at some of those fiberglass pods and frankly, they look cheap. No offense to anyone who has one, but I don't think fiberglass is for me, although a hole in the ground is a hole in the ground in a pinch.

So what type of shelter solution(s) do you folks have? Basement? Fiberglass pod? Concrete shelter?

Also, I'll welcome any suggestions for making something economical. The one I linked above is $5325.00 installed. I really like it but I also wonder if it's overkill somewhat.
 
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#56 ·
storm shelters

The two by four shot into a wall is really not much of a test. I had my concrete concrete. Go to tested, 6000 lb with fiber mesh, and it was a 3rd stronger than slab concrete or regular construction concrete. Go to vaughnconcreteproducts.com and see their tests. Above ground is much safer than people thinl. In flash flooding, would not want to be under ground.
 
#57 ·
Being in construction I do actualy know a lot of facts about concrete and mesh or fiber cement. It is ridiculously strong. I also agree about the 2x4 test, but when you have a F-5 with 300 + mph winds, if that throws a car or truck or boat into your walls, I'm sorry but it won't stand up. Like I said, they are great and way better than nothing but I saw rooms like this leveled out in Joplin. Also I agree about flash flooding but I am well above all the flooding zones. We have gotten tons of rain and water here lately by the Mississippi river, and thank god none of it got close to me.
 
#61 ·
We don't have tornadoes here very often, but I also want to put in a large root cellar which could double as a storm shelter. Our biggest problem is the water table is at 4' durig irrigation season, so I have thought about digging down 3 1/2 ft & putting a layer of rock down and then having a large concrete square culvert (8' w x 7' H x 20'L) long put into the hole and covered with about 4' of dirt--I'm thinking that should do nicely for a root cellar and double as a storm shelter if need be.
 
#62 ·
Full basement.
No flooding danger this location.
Tornado survivor summer 1963.
If ever I have another house built, the basement will have a poured cement overhead below grade and covered with a couple feet of dirt.
 
#63 ·
Tornado Survivor-- Summer 1955 (NE MO)
Cyclone Survivor --Summer 1957 (NE MO)
Cyclone Survivor --Summer 1958 (NE MO)
Typhoon Survivor-- Summer 1969 (SVN)
Mississippe River Flood-- Surviver 1973 (NE MO)

Growning up in NE Missouri on a farm we had a "root" celler that we stored our home canned items and potatoes in. It also doubled as a "storm' shelter. It was about 30 feet from the house. We always had enought warning to get into the shelter before the main body of the storms hit, only one hit in the night. We had to clear some debris away from the entrance to get out. We kept a double bitted axe in the celler for that reason.

We never lost the house, had ALL the windows blown out and most of the shingles blown off of it. Over the years we lost several out building. a smoke house, barn damaged and a chicken house with about 60 chickens in it.
 
#64 ·
I just got back from a few days visiting my mom in West Central Alabama. It just so happens that my last exit off the Interstate is through Tuscaloosa. I went back down there on Sunday to take some photos. Even though we very seldom have threatening weather here in Knoxville, this motivates me to get a shelter:

Tornado Aftermath
 
#66 ·
I know of one person who was building ground up who put a cement block room in a pantry or as a pantry in their house. The block was filled with cement and rebar and caped with a cement "lid". You may be able to retrofit something like unto in a garage or other area of your house or build a passage from your house to one just under ground. From what I have heard most of the storm rooms they are building are simply re-enforced block as I discribed above.
 
#68 ·
Is your all brick house solid masonry construction? If not, then it isn't any stronger or safer than the house with wood siding or stucco. The brick on your house is most likely a veneer which doesn't not offer any structural strength as it is held off the stud wall about 1" for drainage and "held" to the building by brick ties.
 
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