I'm thinking about installing a tornado shelter

[okietool]

My old house has a storm cellar and a basement, I can go out in to the cellar from the basement.
If I build a new house, it will be the same.
And fortunately for me, my dogs are dumb and trusting enough to follow where ever I go.

 

[harley128]

So who has best deal on OKC/Edmond for the in ground shelter?

 

[farmer17]

I've been a construction contractor for over 20 years and I can build an above ground concrete shelter that no tornado can take out for about $ 8000.

 

[ez bake]

I've been talking to the wife about this very thing. Ours is currently in the back yard (concrete/steel in-ground), but we're building a house and are discussing getting on in the garage vs. a safe-room.

The problem is physics pretty much dictates that a tornado has the ability to destroy just about any above-ground safe-room made (find a large enough dense enough object and sling it fast enough with a direct hit... there are very few man-made structures that can withstand that - and if they did, would the people inside survive?). But debris isn't only an issue in a garage - there are piles of debris that are no where near the foundation of the house they came from all over the state right now.

It all comes down to how likely is that specific "perfect storm" going to happen? How likely is it that debris is going to trap you in the cellar? How likely is flooding in your in-ground cellar?

The kicker is that all of these things (including getting directly hit by a tornado) are unlikely in the first place, so it's all a risk/reward exercise. What do you prepare for and how much do you spend?

I think we're going to stick with an outside accessible in-ground shelter that sits partially in a mound like the one we have so that it won't fill up with water, but it's not going to fly away. I think we're going to put it close to the back porch so we don't have to run all the way across the yard in the storm.

 

[ODglock27]

We had one put in our garage two years ago by Ground Zero.
If you notice the two stories above about people getting stuck, they were both made by FlatSafe Co. There is an outside latch on ours (The Ground Zero), but it is designed so that you can flip it up from the inside.

Ground Zero recommends parking the car on top of the shelter to help keep debris from jamming the door. Also, the company takes the GPS location of each shelter before they leave. Its location is also logged with the county and insurance company.

Also, ours came with a Come-a-Long wench to get the door open if there is debris on it.

All I know is that I feel so much more at ease since I had it installed. If we had to stay in it for a day or so until rescue arrives, then so be it, as long as we are safe and alive. We have lighting, water, and food in there (Although I need a 5 gallon bucket with kitty litter for you know what). Yah, it would suck, but so what?

We also used ground zero several years ago. One thing you left out (and Im not sure if yours has it or not), but they don't set it perfectly flush with the ground. Ours is maybe .5 - 1" above the floor to help prevent water from flowing in. Yes you will still get the small amount that rains in from above, but it does help.

And like you said above, make sure to keep you car over the shelter. This will actually make it easier to get out from the fallen debris not being able to completely cover you exit. And as I said in another post, they make wonderful oil change pits in the off season.

 

[SMS]

If you notice the two stories above about people getting stuck, they were both made by FlatSafe Co.

Questionable stories, likely spread by the competition. LOL.

We have a flatsafe...and the only way I can see someone getting stuck in it is if they didn't pay attention when the installers showed them how to use it. My 7 year old regularly opens and closes it with no problem when we do our family drills. The door can be slid back or lifted and comes equipped with a come-along.

Like has already been said: Just get a shelter, a shelter that gets your butt underground, and stock it with essentials. Don't sweat the brand.

Here's my take on the above ground vs. underground thing:

Above-ground opens up an entire set of complications in regards to material type, construction/anchoring method, FEMA ratings, and impact resistance (see the way those cars got thrown around?) etc...

Underground, as long as it's anchored and can't be sucked out of it's hole and has a decent lid, you will survive. You might be cold/hot/wet and miserable, and may have to sit tight while someone digs you out, but you'll be alive.

Above-ground might be the new bees knees but I didn't have time to study those variables and I'm not just going to take a salesman's word for it. Folks have been going into underground hidey holes for centuries and they work. I decided not to change that equation when we picked our shelter type.

 

[nemesis]

Yesterday has me convinced. My wife and I have talked about a storm shelter for a couple of years. Today I ordered one. Sad it takes such a travesty to make me finally break loose of the cash to do so though.

We want a full step-by-step pictoral of the installation.

 

[UnSafe]

We got in on a FEMA grant list in '02 or so, they paid 75% for our in ground concrete shelter. Fit nicely into a sloped area within sprinting distance from our back door.

I understand that there is no perfect shelter, unless you plan and build an underground concrete bunker below new construction and that anything is better than nothing, BUT, my un scientific, seat of the pants gauge tells me that being below ground beats being above ground. I'm not sure the UT guys (Or anyone else) tested 5000lb trucks traveling at 100-200mph hitting anything.

 

[ArmyOfJuan]

If you want to be the safest you can be......you need an in-ground. The good thing about an in-ground shelter is that you won't have to sacrifice your parking spot and they can be retrofitted. They come in, cut the slab, bring in their little backhoe (designed to fit inside a standard garage, dig the hole, install the shelter, reenforce the shelter with concrete and refinish your slab. There are several different types of lids; rolling, retractable, etc.

You can pull your car in and over the door. Door will be more towards the garage door. Slide hatch back and slide into shelter.

If you park the car over the sliding door, but leaving a little room towards the drive in door, the car will help hold debris off of the shelter door. This allows you to escape easier, especially because the aluminum garage door will probably be gonzo. Also, sliding doors cannot be pulled open by the suction or wind very easily. We've all seen the footage of the kid that said his shelter door was ripped open by the wind. This won't happen very easily in the garage, under a car, and with a sliding door.

BTW, i know they have mixed reviews, but Ground Zero always sets up at the State Fair and gives special pricing if you buy then.

 

[Biggsly]

Even given that reason, in-ground is absolutely the safest. Those above ground shelters are designed to sustain the winds values yes, but debris like this storm created would take one of those shelters out easily. All it would take is a car flying through the air to completely destroy a above ground shelter. If your gonna spend the money for safety get the best safety you can. Granted maybe a little more pain in the butt to get into but if you register it locally with the police department they will know where to come search after events like this.

When we lived in our old house, I wanted a safe room. I was going to keep my gun safe in it. They came out and told us about how they shoot 2x4s at them at 250mph. My wife asked about when the F350 hits it at 250mph. He said "Well, nothing could stop that, but that probably won't happen." Then my wife said she wanted one in the ground. lol