Storm shelter questions.

[SMS]

^^lmao...on a house? Lucky if its got rock in it.

Sent from outer space or somewhere from my mobile device

Yup. That's my point. I've no doubt that above ground shelters can/could/have survived big storms, but bolting a heavy steel "room" onto a 4" non-reinforced slab poured at 3000 or even 2500 psi with drilled in redheads just isn't a good idea to me (and I do a bit of foundation work for a living, but we usually over-build LOL). FEMA even recommends steel and/or thickened slabs for above ground shelters.

 

[jsl_pt]

Some companies I know that do above ground shelters test the cement in garage to make sure it's reinforced and the proper Thickness etc and won't install on slabs that aren't.

 

[SMS]

Some companies I know that do above ground shelters test the cement in garage to make sure it's reinforced and the proper Thickness etc and won't install on slabs that aren't.

You'd hope that every company would do that...but lots of folks just care about making a buck and the buyers kinda treat their shelters like some people treat their firearms; they are a talisman that they hope will ward off evil and they don't really care if they'll work or not.

 

[DavidMcmillan]

Someone mentioned earlier about leaving their car partially over an inground shelter. Isn't there a concern about the fuel tank rupturing ang gas draining into the shelter?

 

[J.T.]

I'm wanting to install a big arse underground shelter rather than the normal 8x8ish size. Does anyone know what thise are running cost wise? 15x15ish? 5 kids plus the wife and I and whoever else is doing the chicken dance routine in the 'hood sized.

 

[tul9033]

Initially I was set on a in ground garage shelter. Then I started thinking about broken water and gas lines. Not top mention all the toxic/flammable stuff in the garage. I'm concerned about the in ground shelter filling with water, natural gas, gasoline, and other nasties if your buried for a while. I know most installers are using anodes or other means to prevent corrosion, but I'm hearing that the long term (15-20 years) durability of the in ground steel units is in question.
I'm building a house and went with the under stairs custom built unit from Family Safe.

 

[KOPBET]

Tulsa doesn't really have EF5 tornados. I think there's only been two F4s in the last 60 years. Not to say it couldn't happen though.

BTW, NG is lighter than air so it won't settle in your shelter. Liquids should flow around the ridge surrounding the shelter. IMO, the chances of gasoline leaking from a ruptured tank standing right above your shelter is just about nil.

 

[Dave70968]

Tulsa doesn't really have EF5 tornados. I think there's only been two F4s in the last 60 years. Not to say it couldn't happen though.

BTW, NG is lighter than air so it won't settle in your shelter. Liquids should flow around the ridge surrounding the shelter. IMO, the chances of gasoline leaking from a ruptured tank standing right above your shelter is just about nil.

Natural gas is lighter; propane is heavier.

 

[yukonjack]

Natural gas is lighter; propane is heavier.

That happened to the people that used to live on the corner of NW 206th and Cemetary Rd in Piedmont. Older turn of the century house with a cellar. The propane tank got knocked off of its base and lodged into the debris right above. The leaking propane started to fill the cellar. My FIL and a couple of others were the first ones there and he said it was bad.
Said the whole time they were digging them out they were worried.

 

[Hangfire]

After the wife and I sat in the neighbors (rated for eight people) in ground garage floor shelter I had a Ground Zero 4x6x61/2 above ground garage safe room installed in Jan.......let's just hope none of us ever actually need a tornado shelter.