For those that bought a steel below ground shelter

[davek]

My shelter is an almost spherical fiberglass shell under 9 tons of concrete. Hasn't gone anywhere in 14 years.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

I do not have a storm shelter.

 

[SMS]

I saw 5 above ground safe rooms in Piedmont that took direct hits from the EF-5. In 2 of those instances all that was left of the houses were the above ground shelters. None of the shelters failed. The one on Piedmont Rd. did have damage to the exterior of the door from objects striking it but it was not breached.

I bet. The next time we build a house, if we ever build new again, we'll be putting in a solid above ground safe room.

That being said, a properly installed in-garage flat safe is still an excellent, affordable and safe option for pre-existing homes…despite the frenzy of drama over them recently. The burden of properly installed is not all on the installer either….buyers need to be informed.

 

[Mr.Glock]

Guys I just don't feel that the above ones are as safe as under the ground. If a Tornado can pick up semi trucks, let alone a heavy one ton truck like a feather. What would one of the above grounds do if a one truck was slammed into one at 200 miles a hour or even 80 miles a hour. Think about it. Would your odds greatly multiply with an above ground hell yea it would and would the odds of something demolishing it, probably not. But still, below ground is safer.

But as I get older the ease of use of an above ground is looking more and more useful.

 

[SMS]

I think the probability of one taking a Hollywood-esque hit by a flying truck is about equal to a properly installed/selected in-garage shelter flooding...

Ease of use can outweigh the odd-ball extreme possibilities.

 

[jrusling]

We put in an above ground 5 x 7 safe room out in our shop building. The ease of entry was one concern as well as flooding. The advantage of it being out there is that we can set in the shop and watch TV and monitor the storm spotters and just be a couple of feet from the safe room. The shop is solar powered so even if the power goes out we are still good to go. As we get older the above ground looks better and better, especially now that we have another dog. I am getting the dog used to going into the safe room so that should not be a problem if we need to use it. Since the 1 yr. old dog is already 66 lbs a below ground just would not work.

 

[OKNewshawk]

I did my homework and planned accordingly instead of just buying a shelter from the local backhoe/pool/scentsy seller.

Does he also do guns shows?

 

[jsl_pt]

Guys I just don't feel that the above ones are as safe as under the ground. If a Tornado can pick up semi trucks, let alone a heavy one ton truck like a feather. What would one of the above grounds do if a one truck was slammed into one at 200 miles a hour or even 80 miles a hour. Think about it. Would your odds greatly multiply with an above ground hell yea it would and would the odds of something demolishing it, probably not. But still, below ground is safer.

But as I get older the ease of use of an above ground is looking more and more useful.

There have been videos posted in previous years threads on these of above ground shelters being rammed with a car going 50-60mph IIRC and it did fine, also had cars dropped from crane. A car or truck WILL NOT be flying in the air at 200MPH or even 80MPH, physics don't add up on that one. The wind speed does not match the speed of suspended objects in the tornado. A car or truck if lifted would be suspended and moving at much lower speeds. Majority of the wind force would be just to suspend or lift the object with the remaining able to circulate or accelerate the object.

 

[1911Sooner]

We put in an above ground 5 x 7 safe room out in our shop building. The ease of entry was one concern as well as flooding. The advantage of it being out there is that we can set in the shop and watch TV and monitor the storm spotters and just be a couple of feet from the safe room. The shop is solar powered so even if the power goes out we are still good to go. As we get older the above ground looks better and better, especially now that we have another dog. I am getting the dog used to going into the safe room so that should not be a problem if we need to use it. Since the 1 yr. old dog is already 66 lbs a below ground just would not work.

Yeah you can't exactly do this in an in ground shelter.

 

[BigDiezel]

There have been videos posted in previous years threads on these of above ground shelters being rammed with a car going 50-60mph IIRC and it did fine, also had cars dropped from crane. A car or truck WILL NOT be flying in the air at 200MPH or even 80MPH, physics don't add up on that one. The wind speed does not match the speed of suspended objects in the tornado. A car or truck if lifted would be suspended and moving at much lower speeds. Majority of the wind force would be just to suspend or lift the object with the remaining able to circulate or accelerate the object.

x2 , I have tried to tell people this Numerous times... They seem not able to absorb it. There's always a what if , this , that , Etc... What if it picks up a whole Walmart.. lol

Serious though, I'd rather take my chance in a FEMA approved above ground concrete saferoom over a below ground garage unit anyway. I had a garage unit installed in early 2013 by Flatsafe for the time being & couldnt be happier. We are planning on adding on to the house within the next couple years and will have an above ground one aswell.