Tornado Shelters

[Jim Koepke]

From my understanding, these are made from old 500 gallon propane tanks.

The person in this video posted about installing his shelter on another forum. After the recent activity in the Dallas Fort Worth area he ended up on the news.

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/weather/052511-rebates-available-for-storm-shelters?CMP=201105_emailshare

jtk

[Scott T Smith]

From my understanding, these are made from old 500 gallon propane tanks.

The person in this video posted about installing his shelter on another forum. After the recent activity in the Dallas Fort Worth area he ended up on the news.

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/weather/052511-rebates-available-for-storm-shelters?CMP=201105_emailshare

jtk

If a tornado came through that house, that tank would be ripped right off of the slab when the nearby walls hit it, and then those folks would be in for the ride of their life!

Maybe if it was burried it would work, but not the way that it's installed in that application.

On a separate note, I can't help but wonder why our tax dollars are being allocated to help folks pay for something like this....

[Marty Paulus]

If a tornado came through that house, that tank would be ripped right off of the slab when the nearby walls hit it, and then those folks would be in for the ride of their life!

Maybe if it was burried it would work, but not the way that it's installed in that application.

On a separate note, I can't help but wonder why our tax dollars are being allocated to help folks pay for something like this....

I agree that it doesn't look like it would do its job very well. It looks to be padded on the inside maybe because they know you will be going for a ride in it when it is mounted in your garage.

[Greg Peterson]

Perhaps were this installed in a corner of a basement, and anchored to a deep concreted footing, it might be a good thing. May as well stick that in the middle of the back yard for all the protection that house provides. Sure hate to be in that thing when a large object get hurled into the side of it and crushes it like a soda can.

I would want that below grade and surrounded by concrete.

[Lee Schierer]

Perhaps were this installed in a corner of a basement, and anchored to a deep concreted footing, it might be a good thing. May as well stick that in the middle of the back yard for all the protection that house provides. Sure hate to be in that thing when a large object get hurled into the side of it and crushes it like a soda can.

I would want that below grade and surrounded by concrete.
The web site says the walls are 3/8 steel so they should take a pretty good hit. He also specifies that the concrete has to be "code compliant" and he uses a good brand concrete anchor. They don't look big enough for more than 2 adults and maybe a small child or two if everyone sands up. It has to be better than hiding in the center hall way of a stick built house.

[David Weaver]

Better than nothing, but too much frontal area and not enough mass. I think I would prefer a purpose built reinforced concrete storm room in the basement of a house.

I'd imagine you might get deafened in that thing when debris starts banging it like a drum. It'd be like sitting under a wash tub and letting the neighborhood kids beat it with baseball bats.

[Greg Peterson]

3/8" steel is pretty stout. But how would it hold up to a pickup truck or unisaw?

As for anchoring, I would want a relatively deep concrete footing poured underneath it. Slabs don't generally get lifted during tornadoes, but that thing sticks up like a sore thumb and could easy get broken off the slab.

But, it certainly is a good alternative. Just my preference to over engineer. Especially since it's not my money!

[David G Baker]

If you have ever been in the service they train us that below grade is generally one of the safest places to be when live ammo is coming at you or when the shock wave from a bomb is headed your way so I think I would vote for a below ground shelter. In photos of tornado disaster areas it can be seen that not much soil has been torn up by the activity of a tornado or any deep holes created. I feel that the tank shelter is better than nothing and probably better than being in a bathtub or closet.

[Gary Hodgin]

The tank is definitely better than our "safe room," which is a hall closet under the stairs. I him-hawed around and let tornado season get on us, but I've been planning to get one of those underground shelters that are built into the yard. I called about two weeks ago and there is a big backlog. We've had two come pretty close this year. One F3 was about a mile away. We had an F4 a couple of blocks away two years ago that killed two people. I heard that one and didn't like the sound. Here's what I'm planning.

http://www.tennesseestormshelters.us/original.html

[ray hampton]

your bomb shelter NEED more than ONE DOOR in case something fall on the door

[Jim Rimmer]

There wasn't a lot of detailed info in the video about specs and installation so I would hesitate to comment on it. I have survived several tornadoes and would go with the in-ground type shelter or the safe room developed by Texas Tech University. The safe room involved a lot of research by TTU (including a cannon that shot 2x4s) has detailed materials specs and installation / construction guidelines.

My Mother lives in Norman, OK and had a storm cellar built in her back yard several years ago. The top is her patio so it is pretty well disguised except for the access door. She is 86 now so last year she had hydraulic hinges installed that allow her to open and close the heavy door by herself. She lacks the secondary exit which bothers me some but is able to get cell phone signals in the cellar so she could call for help, I guess.

[Gary Hodgin]

I thought about the problem of only one exit, especially when considering the underground shelter in the garage. My thinking is that there have been a few hundred people killed by these tornadoes this year, but I haven't heard of one that died from being trapped in a shelter. I realize it's possible, but in a world of risk and uncertainty, I'll take my chances in a shelter. In the model I'm looking at the only other place for another door would be right beside the original.

Looks like anything that blocked the original door would most likely block the second one.

[Lee Schierer]

The dome shaped shelter had the capability of removing the door from the inside, maybe the under ground shelter should have the same thing or a door that swings in. I would think as long as you had a means for communicating with the outside world after the storm from inside the shelter you should be okay. I wouldn't rely upon cell phones or land line phones or even having power. Maybe a citizen band walkie talkie or CB radio that I could poke the antenna out a hole might be good. Failing that some smoke or aerial flares to attract attention.

[Gary Hodgin]

Lee,
I'm looking at the doom-shaped model and maybe the door can be opened or removed from the inside. Fortunately, we have a lot of family that calls us and we call them after a storm. I don't see getting trapped for a long time without someone checking as a problem for us, but it could be for some. If we couldn't be contacted by phone, someone would be checking pretty quickly. Of course, it could get pretty uncomfortable to get stuck for a few hours. Being able to open or remove the door from the inside would be an advantage.

[ray hampton]

one door may be enough unless a tornado drop a car or hot electric wires closed to the only exit

[Jim Rimmer]

The cellars that have been built in Oklahoma for years have a crawl through exit at the back. The Texas Tech shelter has a door that opens in. I agree that no one has been found dead in a shelter but depending on the person, claustrophobia may kick in after a while.

[Eddie Watkins]

Having watched the May 3, 1999 tornado with 300+mph winds, if you are not below grade in a storm like that one or the one that hit Joplin, your chance of survival drops drastically.
A tornado hit my house last year and we were in a small shelter. a section of my neighbor's roof landed on top of my shelter and, even underground, it shook the shelter. it was a piece about 16'x20' with all the rafters and shingles still attached. The wind threw a 20' carhauler trailer thru the back of my neighbor's house. The storm that hit us had windspeeds around 200mph. I suspect it would dent a piece of 3/8" metal but I'm not sure.
My shelter is concrete with 6" walls buried with just about a foot above grade.
The emergency response people were everywhere within hours looking for people that was hurt and checking for folks stuck in cellars. If I had a cellar in my garage, whether in the floor or otherwise, I would at least make sure it was recorded with the local police.
In Oklahoma, at least in OKC, we have a registration system so we can let them know we have a shelter and they can be sure and check for it.

[Gerold Griffin]

Back in 06 (year after Katrina) we had a 24 ft underground storm shelter put in. Has 2 exit doors. Put in several 12 volt marine batteries with power inverters to run fans, light, coffee pot. Also put in camp stove, coolers, cots, etc., In the back part a small camping style commode. Could live in it for awhile if need be. So far we have never had to use it but would do it again in second just for the piece of mind it provides.