I used to live across that street from a guy that owned one of the large companies that does the above ground. My other neighbor had an in ground. If I was ever gonna spend the money it would be in ground.
In ground and don't forget to register the location with your local PD/FD.
I don't agree with this, and most experts also agree with this. The argument that a two ton truck would "destroy" the above shelter doesn't hold water. The same thickness steel is used on a below ground shelter, so they same truck could theoretaically enter that "safe" space.
I am not here to argue, but the facts indicate that an above ground shelter (when indeed built IAW current FEMA standards) are just as safe as below ground shelters.
I'm sorry, but the facts say just the opposite. First off, above ground shelters are basically exposed on 5 sides to object strikes, underground shelters only have the top that is exposed and has ground on four sides of that top to help support anything that falls on it. This makes it much, much harder for objects to hit the shelter with enough force to destroy the metals integrity and cause injury to the occupants. The second problem with above ground shelters is they are only as stable as the concrete they are anchored to. As I said I've seen a previous house I lived in get picked up and half the solid slab foundation go with it. Won't do you any good if that happens. The only "experts" who say above ground is just as safe are the experts who work for above ground shelter companies.
Well alright in ground it is. Makes sense.
Thanks for the link Snattlerake
Other than flatsafe anyone have a recommendation?
Thanks for the link Snattlerake
Other than flatsafe anyone have a recommendation?
Whose facts? I wouldn't trust FEMA or the government's "facts" if they said the sky was blue and it's dark at night. I have seen asphalt sucked up from the roadway. I have also seen a house that was removed off it's foundation with no walls intact but a grand piano was still on top of the slab. I have seen a 10 ton steel girder dropped in between two houses taken from a tornado hit hospital. My neighbor's bass boat was uprooted and found in the next county with his house and garage untouched.
Yep, see 'naders do some impressive, scary as hell things. At the Oklahoma Natural History Museum there is a cast iron brake drum with a piece of wood through it. And those tests using 2x4's at 100 mph, thats just an F1 speed. An F5 STARTS at 261 MPH. They can't simulate that. Nor could they simulate a 2 ton vehicle slamming into that shelter at those speeds.
Grendel, I can't give you any recommendations, but some of the things you need to ask is how water tight they are and how do they prevent the shelter from floating to the surface. After that I would look up the ratings of the different companies around you.
I'm not here to argue either and am genuinely curious. Above ground you have 5 sides of exposure...... in ground..... you have one side? What else am I missing?
You ain't missing anything, Only add I have to below ground is air source, some of those in ground they install in the garage or house have no air source other than some vents at the top edge!! Even a small fire would suck the air right out of the shelter, pipe an additional air source in if you put a below ground in the house!! If I were doing it I would get one separate from the house and below ground.
I honestly didn’t realize there were so many options.
As we have 5 acres I’m leaning towards an in ground installation in our side yard. We have a flood control dam/pond adjacent to and below our property so I’m not too worried about flooding, but I do like the idea of not being underneath my truck/house if it should collapse.
As we have 5 acres I’m leaning towards an in ground installation in our side yard. We have a flood control dam/pond adjacent to and below our property so I’m not too worried about flooding, but I do like the idea of not being underneath my truck/house if it should collapse.
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