Defensive Carry banner

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.
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Honestly, You could build your own and save mad guap... I dont know what material to use, But digging a 10-15 deep whole 5 feet wide and 8 feet long should suffice. You could lay your own concrete or hire someone to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chevyguy85
#3 ·
I'm thinking about it. I helped my dad build ours as a teenager. I didn't do the actual block-laying, but I doubt that it's rocket science. Since it'll be for my two boys and me, I could go smaller than that, maybe more like five by six feet.
 
#4 ·
i have lived in kansas my whole life, my parents have a basement and we never went in it for a storm, my house has no basement, if i'm up and it's stormin i listen to the radio, tv, internet and figure i should know it's comin, if i'm asleep and a tornado hits my house, well, i guess i will be dead and won't have to worry about the clean up, i'd say you could spend the $$$ on better stuff (generator and stuff for after the storm) just my 2 cents worth



y
 
#7 ·
We have RADAR, weather radios and sirens on this side of the Mississippi.:wink:

It is a lot of money, but I don't think you'd be able to duplicate the strength of one of those units your self. About the going smaller thing, remember, those boys might be small now, but they do grow in a hurry. I'd buy the largest I could afford.
 
#8 ·
I don't have a shelter, but my all brick house is built on a sloping lot, so at one end, I have a full sized door to walk into, and it gets progressively lower as I go towards the other end of the house, so I figure I could go under the house and far enough to need to crawl the rest of the way and at least be safer than just staying inside the house. Of course we don't get the cat 4 or 5 tornadoes which are sometimes seen in the midwest area.
 
#11 ·
I've never lived I'm a house lacking a basement, but plenty of apartments. The next door neighbor had his chimney taken off one night by a tornado that I slept through, and we had no idea until the next day. If I'm not wrong, there are special radios you can leave turned on at all times that activate strictly when a severe weather alarm goes off, giving you some chance to seek shelter. I may look into that now that it has come up, hmm.

As far as shelter goes, my house is 130 years old, or so. Stone foundation and a cellar deep enough that if things went sideways and the kids and wife needed to get safe, I'd take them there for sure. But in the case that I became concerned about regular severe storms, I would need to get a subfloor built to block debris from landing on our heads if the main floor blew off!
 
#12 · (Edited)
Every house I've owned has had a basement. They come in handy for many purposes. I'm thinking that my next (and final) home will also have a hidden vault in the basement, which (in addition to being my armory) will be ideal for this sort of thing, as well as serving as a 'panic room'. I'm thinking about separate ventilation and a dedicated generator for it.

If my home was on a slab, I'd definitely look into something like what is described here.
 
#16 ·
I do like the idea but I have a question. What do you do if you are inside this box and the house falls down on top of the sliding door? I would have to pipe in a vent, power, phone, water and some type of bathroom. I hope somebody knows I am in there.
 
#18 ·
A couple of things here. There is ventilation at all times, so you aren't going to suffocate. I'm sure it wouldn't be comfortable if you were stuck in there all day in July or August, but you would survive. Another thing is that you're supposed to keep a fence puller (or "come-along") in there. They have a video demonstration on their website of a guy winching the door open with two tons of bricks on top of it. And of course, it would be a good idea to take your cell phone whenever you went into it and have some water handy.
 
#17 ·
I live in Huntsville , AL and can say I dodged a big bullet last week. I lost my shed door and food spoiled due to power outage. I am thankful, lucky, and blessed compared to some of my fellow neighbors. Those F5's leveled houses that were to be "solid". It is amazing to see it in person. I myself am looking into building a below ground shelter soon. It a safety factor and a selling point for real estate in my belief. I think a big selling point in North AL. will be a storm shelter for the next 10 years. On a side note, I was glad to that Larry's Pistol and Pawn was OK!
 
#22 ·
There will always be the what ifs with these types of things. Nature is far to unpredictable for us to come up with a fail proof system to protect ourselves against everything she's got. But, there are some good things out there to stack the odds in our favor. I'd take my chances in a pod vs. a closet anytime.
 
#27 ·


We can joke, but in all humor there is a bit of reality. This would work... although I would cover the roof and put in a couple of air vents.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Erick46590
#30 ·
In all sincerity, I would do this, except I would have taken it down about another three feet and had at least two feet of dirt on top. A van or short bus would be better and I would definitely add some air vents and fans.
 
#29 ·
Some different types : (borrowed from Glock Talk)

US Storm Shelters - Decatur, TX:
U.S. Storm Shelters and Safe Rooms
Standard model - $3000 installed (plus additional shipping if out of area)

Hausners Shelters - Drumright, OK (no prices listed)
Hausner's Storm Shelters

Jarrel Storm Shelters - Jarrell, TX:
Storm Shelters - Jarrell Storm Shelters
Regular Shelter $3000 installed (+ additional shipping if more than 150 miles away)
Flat Top Shelter $3500 installed (+ additional shipping if more than 150 miles away)

Shelters of Texas - Flower Mound, TX
Storm Shelters Tornado Shelters Safe Rooms
The Refuge (fiberglass) 4.5x6x6 Flat Top - $4000 installed (plus shipping if out of area)
The Refuge (fiberglass) 5x6x6.5 Flat Top -$5000 installed (plus shipping if out of area)
The Refuge (fiberglass) 6x8x6.9 Standard -$5000 installed (plus shipping if out of area)

Pre-cast concrete 6x8x6 Standard - $3450 installed (plus shipping if out of area)
Pre-cast concrete 5x7x6 Standard - $3450 installed (plus shipping if out of area)
Pre-cast concrete 5x7x6 Flat-Top - $3800 installed (plus shipping if out of area)
Builtsafe 5x6x6 -$3960
Builtsafe 6x8x6 -$4785
Builtsafe 6x8x6.5 -$5385
Builtsafe 6x12x6 - $5990
Builtsafe 6x12x6.5 - $6490
Steelclad Safe Rooms 6x8x7.5 - $7800
Steelclad Safe Rooms 8x8x7.5 - $9000

Safecastle - Prior Lake, MN (no price listed):
http://www.safecastle.com/storm-shelters.php

Storm E Scape - Pauline Kenefic, OK (no prices listed)
http://www.stormescapentxok.com

Southern Illinois Storm Shelters - Buckner, IL (no prices listed)
http://www.sheltersonline.com/

Osceola Machine - Osceola, Arkansas (no prices listed)
http://www.osceolamachine.com
 
#31 ·
Some different types : (borrowed from Glock Talk)

US Storm Shelters - Decatur, TX:
U.S. Storm Shelters and Safe Rooms
Standard model - $3000 installed (plus additional shipping if out of area)

Hausners Shelters - Drumright, OK (no prices listed)
Hausner's Storm Shelters

Jarrel Storm Shelters - Jarrell, TX:
Storm Shelters - Jarrell Storm Shelters
Regular Shelter $3000 installed (+ additional shipping if more than 150 miles away)
Flat Top Shelter $3500 installed (+ additional shipping if more than 150 miles away)

Shelters of Texas - Flower Mound, TX
Storm Shelters Tornado Shelters Safe Rooms
The Refuge (fiberglass) 4.5x6x6 Flat Top - $4000 installed (plus shipping if out of area)
The Refuge (fiberglass) 5x6x6.5 Flat Top -$5000 installed (plus shipping if out of area)
The Refuge (fiberglass) 6x8x6.9 Standard -$5000 installed (plus shipping if out of area)

Pre-cast concrete 6x8x6 Standard - $3450 installed (plus shipping if out of area)
Pre-cast concrete 5x7x6 Standard - $3450 installed (plus shipping if out of area)
Pre-cast concrete 5x7x6 Flat-Top - $3800 installed (plus shipping if out of area)
Builtsafe 5x6x6 -$3960
Builtsafe 6x8x6 -$4785
Builtsafe 6x8x6.5 -$5385
Builtsafe 6x12x6 - $5990
Builtsafe 6x12x6.5 - $6490
Steelclad Safe Rooms 6x8x7.5 - $7800
Steelclad Safe Rooms 8x8x7.5 - $9000

Safecastle - Prior Lake, MN (no price listed):
Server Error

Storm E Scape - Pauline Kenefic, OK (no prices listed)
http://www.stormescapentxok.com

Southern Illinois Storm Shelters - Buckner, IL (no prices listed)
Lifesaver Storm Shelters, Benton Illinois

Osceola Machine - Osceola, Arkansas (no prices listed)
http://www.osceolamachine.com
Thanks. I've seen most of these and I'm trying to find a way to come out cheaper. We have tornado threats so seldom in this area that comfort (or the lack thereof) isn't a big deal. Growing up in Alabama, I spent most of the night in one a few times.
 
#33 ·
I've been "in" 3 of them, from small to very large, and watched several others. I do NOT want to be in a 4th. I 've seen many times what they will do and can do. The worse ones are the ones that hit in the middle of the night, 1 of the one's I was in was a night tornado while camping... all we could do was hit the ground.

A woman and daughter were picked up in their car by an F-5, said they saw a few cows flying by while they were in it, and were deposited about 5 miles away..... suviving it, which is one F-5 that I actually saw. The same F5 took one family's house , they found all of them scattered across the countryside dead, but could not find the baby. An Officer found the baby about 3 miles away, in a tree, still wrapped up .... crying .... and alive. Can you imagine the ride that baby had.

The problem with tornados here is, they are quite common.
 
#34 ·
Yeah, it's totally freaky what they can do. Last weekend after the tornadoes tore into Alabama, two of my coworkers went down to Hamilton to help in recovery efforts. They took a picture of a house that had been totally shredded right down the middle, but the ends looked completely untouched.
 
#37 ·
A stainless steel shipping container would be much more sensible. I've seen them stacked about 6 high, and they can be loaded with about 55000# each (plus around 5000 for each container). That's a heck of a lot of wt on the bottom container.

(Such wts are not legal on the highways, so I never done it. Honest.)
 
#38 ·
We had one installed five years ago. It's identical to the slanted- top one pictured in the linked photo. Thank God we've never used it, but when storms are near, the door is open and we're ready to get in. It's a high-quality product. It took about three hours to install it, and it does increase the value of your property. The Secret service had 13 of them installed at Pres Bush's Crawford, Texas ranch. That was a great selling point for me. We use it as a root cellar during the winter months. For the cost, under $4000, I don't think it can be beat. Weighs about 18,000 lbs. Great feeling of security.

Storm Shelters - Jarrell Storm Shelters
 
#40 ·
Those look great, but I would need to find a company that's closer to me. They deliver for free within 50 miles and charge $2.50 per mile outside of that. I did the math using Google Maps and the delivery charge for me would be $2490.00. Ouch!
 
#39 ·
I've actually seen a double-wide mobile home with a finished basement beneath it. The owner had the basement dug, slabs poured and blocked in the walls. The mobile home was secured above it and a drop ceiling was suspended from the undercarriage. He turned one of the bedrooms upstairs into a den and ran a staircase through the closet floor. When he was done, it actually looked good. Just looking at it from the outside you couldn't tell there was a basement beneath it, but it gave him and his family additional living space and if a storm ever came through they had a place to go to ride it out.
 
#41 ·
I live in a rancher with a crawl space, but no basement. I would be worried about digging underneath the house because it might harm the structural integrity, so I need to go strictly in the yard somewhere. I might consider one of the garage floor types, though.
 
#44 ·
If your going to bury a metal structure of any kind you better coat (tar, bedliner) the hell out of it. Even stainless steel will rust if exposed to moisture often and long enough. Cement, fiberglass, and other sturdy plastics are ideal do to corrosion resistance.
 
#46 ·
I live in Houston and am seriously considering something like this. Due to the fact we are a sea level, homes here to not have basements, so I am guessing the in ground slap shelters have local issues to over come. Just not very comfortable with the "crawl in a bath tub" solution. We don't get a lot of tornados in Houston, but we do get a stray hurricane now and then.
 
#51 ·
I just bought one of these and is the best investment ever. I live close to Memphis and while they are few and far between like others said, when it comes to my family I don't really care. I bought mine from tswstormshelters.com and for $6,000 I got a steel one installed under my carport. They do the sawcutting, demo, instal, and pour 3 yards of cement back in place. The door is almost flush to the slab and it holds 10 adults tight. I'm in construction myself so I knew it was a decent deal. Lifetime warranty amd my wife will be stocking it up as soon as they get done. Just to let you know...

FYI,
In Arkansas, where I live, I also get a $1000 rebate instant.
 
#52 ·
Living in the part of Missouri I do, I'm right in the heart of Tornado Alley. I've lived through several, and a couple have leveled homes or buildings just a few short blocks from where I have lived in the past.

The house I just bought has no basement. Since I also have a 40 x 50 ft shop/garage with concrete floor the prior owners built to house an RV & boat, I have no real use for the two car attached garage in my house.

My #1 priority is to renovate the two car garage and turn it into a 670 square foot master bedroom suite with master bath and walk-in closet. Part of that renovation will be installing a 7 x 14 ft combination gun vault/safe room. With 6 to 8 inch reinforced concrete walls and ceiling. It will also be a "certified" above ground storm shelter. My son-in-law who is a builder, has installed about 5 or 6 of those in new home constructions around Kansas City in recent years. He said no problem, with my garage renovation. Since he is also a master cabinet maker, and since it's going to also serve as a gun vault/safe room, we'll be installing a secret doorway for entry.

Hopefully, I'll have that project finished within the next 24 months. In the mean time, I keep my fingers crossed and hope the tornadoes keep missing us. However, where I live, not having protection from tornadoes isn't a wise option.

There are many options out there these days for retrofitting storm shelters in homes without a basement and I recommend people seriously look into some sort of storm protection if they don't have any.
 
#55 ·
Been to Joplin and got to say.... There was a lot of above ground "shelters" that didn't last in the f-5 that came through. A lot of also "safe rooms" have you, were leveled to the slab. Hell, there was even people who got in there basements and died from the house collapsing. According to FEMA I thought that you needed to be below grade to be safe?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top