The best garage shelters have a remedy for this that can move up to 10 tons.
A lot of good information in these posts. Plenty of pros and cons for each type. You just have to weigh it all and then make the best decision for your set of circumstances.
This is what my mom and sister have. And many of my neighbors out where I live have the same one. I was leaning towards getting one of these when I am able but have also considered the above ground ones. I’m trying to think about getting down in it when my wife and I am older. I also have two dogs and they aren’t small. It would be great to just walk in to one. But I also wonder how they would stand up to an F5. I don’t know if any that have been hit by one and survived. Not saying they don’t exist I just haven’t seen them. I think if the foundation was anchored in the ground with large piles it would be fine. Being steel and concrete reinforced would make it extremely strong.
There are a couple of homes in Shawnee that were built to withstand tornadoes. I don’t know if the whole house is made that way or if it has a room that is made to withstand them. I remember when they were first built years ago. Interesting enough no more have been built.
Also, my work just north of Shawnee got hit by the tornado the other day. We have been off work since. It totaled both our trucks, and did extensive damage to the front of the building which made it unsafe to go in to work. Power lines were also down on our fence. This is the Onegas measurement center just north of I40 on Harrison road if anyone has ever seen it. These pictures don’t do it justice. There was a YouTube video sent to me that a bystander took right after the tornado passed through. It shows my work at the first of the video.
And here's one last thought, if you do decide to go with outside consider the placement. Nearly all the major storms I recall have came in from the west or southwest where I'm at. A shelter located on that side of house would be ideal as debris would be blown away from your shelter.
Weird, never have had to move any of our cars. I had ours put in close to the garage door. We can get into it with my brz parked on that side. That car is low to the ground.
Other than what happens when everyone else’s debris gets blown on you, or you are on the edge… where debris ends up. safest bet is to just plan on getting hit by debris and your shelter covered by it.
yes, that's right, it's really hard for me to remember that some people actually (gag, Shudder) live in town with close neighbors. lol. In all truthfulness if I were handicapped, low mobility, or had a person in house that was, the choice for me would be very simple. above ground, inside, with door or doors large enough for wheelchair.
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Most above ground shelter doors do open inward. And there's plenty of real-world examples of above ground shelters surviving F5 (and other) tornadoes...many from right here in OK (specifically in Moore).
Above ground shelters are relatively new in relation to below ground shelters. People are naturally resistant to change. Most of the so-called downsides to above ground shelters have been shown to be non-issues in real-world experience. Change is hard for some...myself included for some things. But when I looked objectively at both types of shelters, it was a no-brainer to me which would be better. YMMV.
Above ground shelters are relatively new in relation to below ground shelters. People are naturally resistant to change. Most of the so-called downsides to above ground shelters have been shown to be non-issues in real-world experience. Change is hard for some...myself included for some things. But when I looked objectively at both types of shelters, it was a no-brainer to me which would be better. YMMV.
I have to wonder about the garage in-floor ones as to whether the above mentioned remedy will lift enough if the whole roof is down on the floor, and if it can lift it, can one still manage to get past the debris to crawl out from under the roof.
As for above ground ones, I've read where some of the tornadoes have even managed to "remove" foundations and asphalt from the roads. Even if one is firmly attached to a concrete floor, could it still be possible for a big one to move that shelter around?
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