Storm shelter questions.

[nemesis]

One of my neighbors is installing an in ground storm shelter. I guess I'm thinking about the subject again.

I'd be leaning toward something in my garage. Dunno about something in ground. I mean, if the house falls over, how do they get out?

Maybe above ground? A "safe room" kind of a thing?

Who are some reputable storm shelter companies? I see a particular company in OKC that apparently frequently rips people off.

Is there any federal funding/rebates for this stuff?

thanx

 

[toehanus]

Answering the house falling down question. Register your shelter with the city you live in. They are supposed to check on you. Plus, most if not all of the garage shelters have anchor points on the door and one end of the shelter so you can winch the door open with a come-along type hand winch. Ours had one included with it. Don't know if that is a standard practice or not.

 

[twoguns?]

Park you vehicle partially over the opening to the shelter in the garage, that way you can atleast climb out from under the car if the house colapses*...(falls down?)

Storm Safe is doing a bunch here, they are from OKC or Moore maybe.

Call Angies List or the BBB to find good contractors...

 

[twoguns?]

Answering the house falling down question. Register your shelter with the city you live in. They are supposed to check on you. Plus, most if not all of the garage shelters have anchor points on the door and one end of the shelter so you can winch the door open with a come-along type hand winch. Ours had one included with it. Don't know if that is a standard practice or not.

Thats standard here too.

 

[71buickfreak]

I am leaning toward the above ground style too. My dirt is rock hard, it took 2 weeks to dig in the septic tank, plus I am converting my garage to an office (I have a large shop), so I could make room in there. 1/4" plate steel walls, anchored to the garage floor (rest of house is pier and beam), large enough for some supplies, entry from inside the house, it would be located under the stairs in the center of the house, about the best place for it in my situation. I wouldn't mind having an in-ground shelter under the house with living room access, but that ship has sailed.

 

[criticalbass]

There is a company in Tulsa, New Day, that sells an above ground unit that bolts to the garage floor. It's not very big, and holds maybe three comfortably. Check 'em out on the internet and see if you would be interested. If you do buy one, tell 'em who sent you. I would get a little rebate. I met one of their trucks on the turnpike last week. They were hauling two of their units toward OKC.
takes an hour to install

I have one and think it provides an acceptable level of safety. Good for those folks who are climbing impaired.

 

[Lurker66]

To each their own. Mines below ground. It stays unlocked and supplied. The door can be secured from inside only. I've been thru 2 smaller ones and seen results of 2 of our largest. I've never heard of an EF10 but that's what you should prepare for. This talk of "above ground" shelter might get ya dead. IMO.

 

[Okie4570]

The being stranded underground shouldn't be an issue, S&R will find you. The house where we live was rebuilt after being completely leveled in the late 90's. The owner at the time was in the shelter in the garage, his truck and part of the brick wall was on top of the door and he couldn't get out. Fire Dept and a neighbor with a front end loader removed the debris. The two center closets were destroyed, so he was glad for the in ground...........he was trapped for about an hour and half.

 

[Cohiba]

Let me throw a question into this thread.

We (wife and I) are thinking about an above ground shelter...in the garage.

But....being this is a new home..and even though its a very nice home...builders cut corners.

How do..or..how would I know if my garage slab foundation is strong enough to hold the bolts on an above ground shelter...DURING A TORNADO? ??

I understand the need for hearing protection in an above ground. What concerns me is the foundation buckeling..in turn breaking and releasing the bolts that hold down the shelter. Can the shelter company do a core/drill sample to see how deep the concrete is to make sure it can hold the shelter during a storm??

 

[Old Fart]

There is a member here who does the buried in the garage type.