Actual facts needed about storm shelters being sucked out of the ground/doors failing

[93turbohatch]

Yikes. Those OZ shelters are pricey. Oh well, there's no way they could put it where I want it anyway, unless they had a crane that could lift it over my house.

I just looked at one that Steve's Wholesale Tools had out there and was not impressed. That's more the type that I'm wanting but they are cast in two halves and the door latch just looked flimsy. The seam seems like it would guarantee leaks.

Shadowrider, they can put it anywhere. They do a 1 single pour at your home. All concrete is poured into a mold and put where you want. As some of other guys are doing research I have been doing my own also. Its a little pricey but I don't like the idea of being in a coffin underground. Mine will installed in Jan. I will report it back at that time. In the mean time this place is worth going to and looking at there units, once you see how there made you won't want another installation. They have special financing thru tinker federal also which is how I can afford to get one.

 

[dennishoddy]

I was in an underground outdoor cement cellar during the May 3rd, 1999 F5 tornado. I was at my SIL's house.

Bear in mind that her house as well as the entire neighborhood was probably built in the 1960s. That would also be the age of the their storm cellar.

While we were in that cellar during the F5 tornado, the tornado actually ripped the door completely off the hinges. All of the sudden I noticed daylight in our shelter. I looked up and the door was completely gone.

After it was all over, I walked through the neighborhood and noticed that ALL the doors of every storm shelter in the neighborhood were ripped off. I don't know if it was due to age of the cellar doors, the construction, or what.

It was extremely scary to see sunlight where the door once was. I'd thought about the movie "Twister" where the guy gets sucked out with the door. Actually, there was no sucking or vacuum action inside our cellar. We did get plastered with a lot of debris mainly dirt and fiberglass from insulation that blowing into the cellar once the door was gone.

Ok, a first hand, I was in the shelter report.

Do you remember the brand of shelter, or was it a basement cellar built at the same time the house was built? Steel or wood door?

 

[Tampabucs]

You have to have a permit in Yukon too.

There are places like if you live in Logan County or live in Piedmont you don't have to have a permit. I never understood the whole permit jazz. Many cities will not even come out to inspect the shelters. However, Edmond does about the best job as their permit is only $30 something and they come out to inspect, register it and locate it for you. Cities like Midwest City only charge $10 for their permit.

 

[Peabody]

Ok, a first hand, I was in the shelter report.

Do you remember the brand of shelter, or was it a basement cellar built at the same time the house was built? Steel or wood door?

It was an outdoor basement type cellar built when the house was built. It had a steel door.

 

[bsmith918]

Edmond does about the best job as their permit is only $30 something and they come out to inspect, register it and locate it for you.

We finished the permit/registration process in Edmond yesterday and received the certificate of occupancy w/o an actual physical inspection. I asked if they needed to send someone out and was told no. Maybe they changed this?

 

[Tampabucs]

We finished the permit/registration process in Edmond yesterday and received the certificate of occupancy w/o an actual physical inspection. I asked if they needed to send someone out and was told no. Maybe they changed this?

Hey Brad, glad you got your shelter from us I really enjoyed meeting you and your wife. They may have temporarily suspended it due to the overwhelming demand for shelters. Edmond is a smaller community and they may envision not being able to inspect all shelters. OKC will often not send someone out even if you ask them to do so. Did you still have to take the pictures of the shelter and the outside of your home on the permit form? They could be changing their policies as their demand for shelters rise.

 

[dennishoddy]

It was an outdoor basement type cellar built when the house was built. It had a steel door.

How did it latch?

 

[turkeyrun]

I never understood the whole permit jazz.

it's a TAX. Serves only to fill city coffers and pay a gooberment employee salary.

 

[bsmith918]

I posted in the other thread too, but I wanted to thank Ryan @ F5 Storm Shelters for putting mine in a few weeks ago. They were great to work with and very fast. They also did a great job of cleaning up after the job. We did have to take 2 picture for the permit (of the front of the house and also the shelter itself). Here's a few pics.

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[HMFIC]

I posted in the other thread too, but I wanted to thank Ryan @ F5 Storm Shelters for putting mine in a few weeks ago. They were great to work with and very fast. They also did a great job of cleaning up after the job. We did have to take 2 picture for the permit (of the front of the house and also the shelter itself). Here's a few pics.

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Thats pretty sweet!