Types of Tornado Shelters: Pros and Cons
Tornadoes are huge, fast-spinning columns of wind that can destroy lives in the blink of an eye. You need to be prepared for when a tornado hits your home or office. Ask yourself these questions: Where would I go? What should I do when the storm hits?
Many types of tornado shelters exist for people who are in immediate danger during a tornado. Read on to find out about these options and see which one would be best for you and your family!
Tornado shelters can be divided into three main categories: underground crawl space, underground garage (overhead), and reinforced shelter (basement).
Tornado Underground Crawl Space
This type of shelter is usually built into the interior of your home. It consists of a long tube, usually 2 to 4 feet in diameter, that runs from the ground to the ceiling.
The hole keeps out flying objects and makes it easy for people to get under the house. This type of shelter will protect your family from flying debris during a tornado. However, it can accommodate only 2 or 3 people at most.
Tornado Underground Garage (Overhead)
This type of tornado shelter is built into an existing garage by putting a heavy, reinforced roof or covering over the entire building. The roof would also include a door to enter and exit the shelter. This type of shelter not only protects you from flying debris but also shields your home from any damage because it sits in the garage.
It is very important to reinforce the garage by putting in strong supports that hold up tons of weight.
Reinforced Shelter (Basement)
This type of shelter is built into the floor of an existing basement or new basement. It can be built by digging a hole for people to go into, or it can be built on top of the concrete slab. When building this type of shelter, you should think about how you’re going to enter and exit the shelter.
You may have to build stairs into it that lead up to an emergency exit door. Building an emergency exit door into your reinforced shelter is very important because if you have a lot of people in your basement, they may need to escape quickly during a tornado.
