CountryByNet.com Forums :: storm shelter

nobs, I built an above ground storm shelter for my mom using 12 inch knock out blocks, 5/8 rebar on 8 inch centers in floor, and walls and two mats of the same in the 14-16 inch thick ceiling. I used prebent 2x2 corners to tie the floor to the walls, go around the corners, and tie the walls to the ceiling rebar. 100% grouted the walls. I built the storm shelter as an addition on the side of her garage which is accessible from the enclosed sun porch and the hoise without going outside in the weather.

Wen I poured the ceiling (pumped actually) I had formed three 5x5 inch vertical voids in the ceiling. Since the ceiling is 14 to 16 inches thick, wind tossed debris would have to be going vertical downward to gain entry. I will be puting deflectors above the vent holes to cure that as well. When I installed the FEMA approved safe room door, I set it about 2 inches above the slab floor. Expanded metal welded as a door extension allows air to enter but not missles. Cool air comes in off the garage floor and the warmer moist (when occupied by humans) stale air rises up and out the vents on top. I planned to add fans if needed but they are not needed. The garage roof was extended over the shelter and the outside walls were done in the same vinyl siding as the house. It gets warm during the hotest weather but is never stifling or too uncomfortable.

I have a deep cycle 100 A-H battery on a little maint charger to provide 12 volts for 12VDC fluorescent lighting, small VCR/TV combo etc. It would run a fan too with no problems if we had needed one. I don't know how long you stay in your shelter at a time but we rarely need to stay inside more than a standard length movie. Given the brief time frame maybe you could grab a bag of ice from the freezer and take it with you. A couple cubes in a damp rag to hold in your hand and pass across your forehead would make a tremendous difference as would an iced drink. I will be uting up a bent bar to hold a privacy curtain in one corner where a porta potty will be added. Sometimes 2 hrs is a...L..o..n..g..time.

If you are in or adjacent to the house maybe you could run an A/C duct out there. If your storm box is exposed to the sun then you need to build an outer wall and or roof spaced out from the inner (concrete) wall/ceiling with room for air circulaltion to cary the heat away roduced by the sunlight being absorbed by the outer covering. If you allow enough room you could put a half inch or so of rigid foam with foil backing in the gap between the cement and the outer wall. The foam goes against the concret with the shiny side out toward the air space to reject heat (IR) radiation. The convective currents will "wash" a lot of heat out of the cavity. Reducing the temp difference between the outer wall and the foam with convective currents is better than adding more insulation because it is cheaper and is the same as an increased R-value in cooling the interior.

Hosing down the structure can cool it a bit too.

Other considerations: do not put a wired phone in your shelter as it is a lightning hazard. If you use a wireless phone leave the base unit outside of the shelter as it too is a lightning hazard. Do not put conventional house wiring into the shelter...lightning hazard. If you go DC like I did, leave the battery outside and the float charger too. unplug the float charger on the way into the shelter so there is no lightning path into the shelter.

Lightning kills many more people every year in the US than tornados.

P.S. IF you tell us what part of the world you live in we might be able to focus on the problem better. It is unlikely that too many CBN denizens will hire private detectives to try to feret out your location so they can take shelter in your "sweat box."

Pat

"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"

Edited by Pat (04/15/05 08:46 PM)

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