Storm Shelters

The deadly tornadoes in 1997 and 1998 seems to have stimulated people's interest in storm shelters, and we have had many emails questioning us about them. With that in mind, we will try to address the subject.
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One of the very first things you should do if you are thinking about a storm shelter is to determine the actual risk in your area. This has been made much easier with a new publication by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Wind Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University, using data from the SPC. We are excerpting three illustrations here, and telling you how to get the entire publication further down on this page.

Figure 1.1 shows the number of recorded tornadoes per 1,000 square miles. tornrisk.gif - 94595 Bytes

Figure 1.2 shows the wind zones throughout the US.

. By using both maps and the table below, you can figure out whether your risk is considered low, moderate, or high.
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It should be noted that many families in areas of lower risk have storm shelters. Clearly, one of the factors that must be considered is the level of safety that is necessary for peace of mind. It must also be noted that many people in high risk areas go through an entire lifetime without ever seeing so much as a funnel cloud! This is a very personal decision, one that must not be based solely on an emotional reaction. The Wind Engineering Research Center of Texas Tech has a page that may provides more food for thought in helping you make that decision. You will find it here.

If you decide that you want to invest in a storm shelter, you will need to decide whether you want to install a pre-manufactured shelter, or have a shelter built from plans like those in the excellent guidebook by FEMA and the Wind Engineering Research Center. This booklet has information on retrofitting an existing home with a shelter, or including one in the plans for a new home. Shelter From the Storm takes you step-by-step through the decision-making process. You can see photographs of the "safe room" on this page of the FEMA site. You can view or download(in pdf format) specific pages of that guide on this FEMA page, or download the entire online guide(ism2.pdf) from the FEMA site or right here at our site. And if you don't have an Adobe Acrobat reader, you can download one at the Adobe site. The online guide also has a materials list and diagrams. You can download these files on this FEMA page. You will need to download the Whip plug-in for your browser to view these diagrams. If you prefer a printed booklet, rather than the web/computer version, you can call FEMA at (888) 565-3896 or (800) 480-2520 to get the full 86 page guide. The document number is FEMA 320a. It includes cost estimates and illustrations of construction details for several kinds of in-residence shelters--some for existing houses and some for houses in the planning stage.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has prepared quite a number of brochures on other things you can do to protect your home from a tornado.
In the "Protecting Your Property From Wind" series is:

Garage Doors
Shutters or Plywood Window Covers
Brace Gable End Roof Framing
Double Entry Doors
Trees and Potential Windborne Missiles
Protecting Your Property From Wind This is in Adobe Acrobat Reader format.

Thanks to the kind people of Tecumseh, Oklahoma, for allowing me to photograph their storm shelters!

If you decide that you want a shelter, but prefer a pre-manufactured one, we will try to provide some things to think about below. A list of storm shelter manufacturers or dealers with web pages will follow.

Considerations to keep in mind when looking at commercially made underground shelters:

What kind of material is used in its manufacture? Shelters may be made of concrete, steel, or fiberglass. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages, for both installation and long-term use.
What style would best suit our needs and situation? There are storm shelters that are meant to be built into a new home, there are storm shelters that are meant to be installed in an existing home, there are storm shelters that are meant to be installed in the ground adjacent to a home. Some manufacturers are marketing "double duty" shelters, that can be used for valuables or extra storage area.
If you live in an area where you are affected by hurricanes(see map), you will want to use the shelter for protection from them as well. So you will need to consider the possibility of storm surge in determining whether or not you want an underground or partially underground shelter.
How thick is the fiberglass/steel/concrete? Thick enough to withstand the stresses that will undoubtedly be put on it whether there is a tornado or not?
Were engineers involved with the design or is this an offshoot of another business that makes a different product that is not subject to the kind of stresses a storm shelter has?
What sizes are available?
How many people can fit comfortably into the shelter?
What provision is made for seating?
What provision is made for lighting?
What provision is made for ventilation, especially if the door is blocked for several hours?
Is there storage space for emergency supplies like water, a first aid kit, etc?
Does the entry to the shelter open outward, inward, or slide sideways?
Is there provision for getting out if the door is blocked or a tree falls on it?
How high is the water table in your area, and what provision is there to keep the shelter in position? If you have a high water table, you don't want water leaking into the shelter, nor do you want it bobbying up out of the ground.
If I live on a flood plain that sees frequent high water, what provision has been made to keep flood water from entering the shelter?
Is the shelter seamless, or are there seams that might allow water or soil in?
How deeply does the soil freeze? If you live in a northern climate, you don't want the frost in the ground buckling or cracking the sides or forcing the shelter out of the ground little by little.
How far down is the bedrock in your area? Shallow soils above bedrock may add considerably to the installation cost, although it doesn't prevent you from installing an underground shelter.
Shelters may be partially sunk into the ground, then banked with soil. What is the cost of drawing in additional dirt to bank a storm cellar that is only half underground?
What is the basic cost of the shelter?
Can I have it shipped here and install it myself with local help?
What "accessories" are available and what is the cost of each?
What is the cost of installation if we have to drill through rock to put it underground?
What is the cost to ship it to my location? The proximity to a dealer is often THE determining factor in choosing a shelter!
What is the installation cost if there is no bedrock?
How long a warranty is provided, and what does it cover?
Would having the shelter installed by myself or a local person negate that warranty?
What if I have a problem with it a few years from now--what kind of support do the company offer?
Are there additional costs I haven't asked about, and if so, what are they?
What is the amount of time it will take to complete the installation process?
Will unwelcome guests like rodents, snakes, scorpions, etc, be able to get into the shelter and either live or even worse, die there?
What kind of monthly/yearly maintainance is required or suggested?
How long has the company been in business? The longer the company has been in business, the more likely it is that they have created a good product and stand behind it. And the more likely they are still going to be around if you do have problems.
Ask for the names of previous customers that have shelters and speak to them.

And ask yourself:

Are there underground pipes, conduits, gas lines, sewer lines, or cables that will have to be considered in or near the location you want to put your shelter?
Will their location have a part in determining which shelter is possible?
Do I want to consider investing in a larger shelter, and purchasing it jointly with a neighbor(s)? Is the neighbor going to be there permanently--is it another family member--might be factors here.

The FEMA site now has a document you can download on the performance criteria for tornado shelters. It is worthwhile reading! You can download it in Microsoft Word format here.

Below is a list of storm shelter manufacturers or dealers. Our listing of them does not indicate approval OR disapproval of them, their products, their manufacturing methods, or anything else. We are merely listing them as a courtesy for the many, many people who have asked about commercially made storm shelters.

However, this is a good time to remind everyone that there are always "companies" that rush in after a disaster to take advantage of the victims of that disaster. It is sad but true. After Hurricane Andrew struck southern Florida, trucks crammed with jugs of tap water pulled into town, charging exhorbitant prices for something that, a day or so before, was not even considered valuable. After the ice storm struck Quebec, Canada in January, 1998, the same kind of thing happened. We heard of one person buying a whole truck-load of generators, then trying to peddle them to power-less Canadians at twice the price. So if you have already decided that you are going to buy a shelter, ask the hard questions before you invest--because it really IS an investment.