Here We Go Again

[slamfire51]

Not even Spring yet and we've already had tornadoes. Wednesday's tornadoes in TN killed 3 persons. Today, we are in a HIGH risk area for strong and long lasting tornadoes. This crap racks my nerves to no end.

With things like this in Winter, I can only imagine how bad Spring is going to be.
I'm thinking of building a small, simple storm shelter made from concrete blocks reinforced with rebar vertically and filled with concrete. Concrete slab floor. The flat roof would have corrugated steel with concrete poured on top, much like is done on porches on houses. Then back fill at a slope on the sides and top with dirt. Kinda like a dome configuration. This structure will be above ground.
This would protect from flying debris, and give a peace of mind.

Any thoughts or different ideas?

[samiam]

lot of plans here

http://www.ballew.org/homeland/fallout.html

[slamfire51]

lot of plans here

http://www.ballew.org/homeland/fallout.html

Thanks samiam!

[samiam]

slam, instead of filled blocks it may be cheaper and stronger to cast the structure . . . if you put it underground or partially underground you get a dual use "root cellar"

[slamfire51]

slam, instead of filled blocks it may be cheaper and stronger to cast the structure . . . if you put it underground or partially underground you get a dual use "root cellar"

Something to consider.

My next door neighbor put a 1000 gallon septic tank that was cast with a solid top and a door opening at one end. It sits about 2-3' into the ground w/ drainage and covered with dirt. He uses it as a root cellar as you mentioned.

[O.S.O.K.]

I think you could equally as well with some 4x4's and 1/2" plywood - with a good plastic vapor barrier. Dig the hole out where you want it and then build a "box" with the 4x4's making the frame and then sheath with the plywood, place the plastic and backfill. I'd make the door out of 2x4 frame and two layers of the plywood with some sturdy hinges. Don't forget to put-in a top vent and "in" vent in the door... need to breath

Seed the top with grass and you're good to go!

That would last a good long time but be more economical than the cinder blocks and mortar and such.

We took the tornados into consideration when designing our house that we're building. The hill behind the house that it will be built into is on the west side -that's where the tornadoes always come from - west to east. So the house sits down with cement walls on the back and side, backfilled up to within a foot of the eaves = will be very tornado and wind resistant.

Stay safe slam!!!

[slamfire51]

I'm to

I think you could equally as well with some 4x4's and 1/2" plywood - with a good plastic vapor barrier. Dig the hole out where you want it and then build a "box" with the 4x4's making the frame and then sheath with the plywood, place the plastic and backfill. I'd make the door out of 2x4 frame and two layers of the plywood with some sturdy hinges. Don't forget to put-in a top vent and "in" vent in the door... need to breath

Seed the top with grass and you're good to go!

That would last a good long time but be more economical than the cinder blocks and mortar and such.

We took the tornados into consideration when designing our house that we're building. The hill behind the house that it will be built into is on the west side -that's where the tornadoes always come from - west to east. So the house sits down with cement walls on the back and side, backfilled up to within a foot of the eaves = will be very tornado and wind resistant.

Stay safe slam!!!

I'm too old to cope with this weather................

OSOK,
Sounds like a plan.
Gravel is all that's needed for a floor which will also provide drainage, correct?
And you don't think a stronger door would be needed? If a tornado comes close enough, it will suck the door off the frame even with vent pipes to equalize the pressure. Just asking..............

[imanaknut]

Yep, nasty stuff on the radar, and the sirens just went off.

See you in a bit.

[slamfire51]

Yep, nasty stuff on the radar, and the sirens just went off.

See you in a bit.

Be safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[samiam]

there's a big one on the ground now in Indiana

[slamfire51]

Nut, check in when you can.

The cold front has just passed the Mississippi River headed NE.
There is only one bad cell headed my way. I'm hoping it will go East.
Crap should be over here about 5PM.

[Warthogg]

59 degrees in Oklahoma City with mostly sun.

Hard to believe I'm cutting the damn grass outback on March 2. Parts back by the garden had gotten maybe a foot long.

Fortunately I've run out of gas so now I'm off to the Snickers with almonds store. (Also have gas.)


Wart

[imanaknut]

Well that was fun!

Funnel cloud reported less than 2 miles from me, thankfully it didn't touch down, but we got some hail that when it was finished it looked like it snowed.

I only got pea to dime size hail, but not far from here they reported quarter to golf ball size.

And the amazing thing was we didn't have so much as a wind gust by my place!

The tornado that did touch down was in southern Indiana. Have heard that possible 2 deaths and a 4 year old missing.

And the official season hasn't started yet!!!!

[imanaknut]

Reports are still sketchy, but they are saying possible entrapment in the high school in Henryville in southern Indiana.

[imanaknut]

Live reports and videos from Henryville Indiana, pop 2000, reporting massive destruction, and unfortunately the death toll is starting to rise. There are other small towns starting to report damage and unfortunately deaths.

Brings a grown person to tears seeing the destruction of everything a family worked for, and worse.

And to think there are people worried about handouts and freebies, and here is a town destroyed and people are banding together to dig through the rubble. This is the true America!

My prayers to all affected.

[GreenhawK]

I'm in Athens Alabama, and I had several friends get hit in one neighborhood today. There was one report of a family that has only been in their house a month after rebuilding from the April tornadoes, and their house got leveled again. So far we haven't had anyone killed and there have only been minor injuries, but there is another line on its way.

You can't make a tornado shelter out of wood. even if you have a hill built up to it. the negative pressure will collapse it in on itself. You must have concrete, and in April some people found out that that isn't even 100% effective.

[slamfire51]

Live reports and videos from Henryville Indiana, pop 2000, reporting massive destruction, and unfortunately the death toll is starting to rise. There are other small towns starting to report damage and unfortunately deaths.

Brings a grown person to tears seeing the destruction of everything a family worked for, and worse.

And to think there are people worried about handouts and freebies, and here is a town destroyed and people are banding together to dig through the rubble. This is the true America!

My prayers to all affected.

'Nut, glad to see you made it through this crap. Super cells have moved East out of my area. N.E. TN around Jamestown has gotten hit hard with a HUGE tornado.

A shame it takes a disaster for neighbors to relate to each other.

I'm in Athens Alabama, and I had several friends get hit in one neighborhood today. There was one report of a family that has only been in their house a month after rebuilding from the April tornadoes, and their house got leveled again. So far we haven't had anyone killed and there have only been minor injuries, but there is another line on its way.

You can't make a tornado shelter out of wood. even if you have a hill built up to it. the negative pressure will collapse it in on itself. You must have concrete, and in April some people found out that that isn't even 100% effective.

Good info Greenhawk.
Thanks.
Wood may be on the back burner for now.

[O.S.O.K.]

Slam - I was envisioning the entire thing being underground with the door on the side - like dug into a hillside. I think that door with 1" of plywood on the exterior would be fine especially if you provision it with two cross-boards inside. Maybe put a metal plate over the plywood?

Hmmm... ah hell - here you go: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/saferoom/shplans/

May as well get your tax money's worth! (kind of a clusterfuck though)

Here's another one: http://www.tornadoproject.com/safety/shelters.htm

[abpt1]

Ever think of moving ? .............. http://pa.gov/portal/server.pt/community/pa_gov/20387 to http://www.pawilds.com/

[imanaknut]

Death toll here in Indiana is up to 14 confirmed, several people still missing, and several in hospitals in very poor condition.

Several towns in southern Indiana no longer exist.

And as I said earlier, the official Tornado season has not started yet!