# cheap ez tornado shelter..ideas?



## lamoncha lover

Wondering what ideas folks have for tornado shelters? I live in a high danger area..every town earby has been hit since we have lived here and I want a shelter on our property. Just don't have much $,,,
anyone use a septic tank? or other ideas? thanks


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## wy_white_wolf

I've seen concrete septic tanks used as root cellars so it should work as a storm shelter if done right. I wouldn't bury it for that purpose unless you can solve the water drainage problem. Above ground eath sheltered should work. Be sure and work on options so you don't get traped inside from debris.


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## tkrabec

I want to build an earth shelter-ed home/ storm shelter in FL

My plan is to build a smaller hill, cover that in rock, put/build a concrete or a shipping container on it

water proof it
cover it in dirt & rocks(for drainage)


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## PyroDon

6ft culvert buried , concrete poured in the bottom and sealed. slab poured over the top . or an old well cleaned out large steal tank buried with a hatch cut in the top and a ladder


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## Cyngbaeld

Ferrocement dome would be my choice or earthbag dome. The earthbags will stop more flying missiles, like 2x4s.


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## mekasmom

lamoncha lover said:


> Wondering what ideas folks have for tornado shelters? I live in a high danger area..every town earby has been hit since we have lived here and I want a shelter on our property. Just don't have much $,,,
> anyone use a septic tank? or other ideas? thanks


If you don't have a basement, then an inside closet will work. Some people use a root cellar, but there aren't a lot of those around any more. Just stay out of mobile homes.


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## MushCreek

An inside closet works in a small tornado, but with the F4's and F5's we just experienced, entire houses were GONE- inside closet and all. The only safe place then is underground.


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## Immaculate Sublimity

This is still a concern of mine here in Michigan, we live in a manufactured home on a crawl... the crawl is about 4o inches underground but we have a way high water table. its usually wet down there. so burying something deeper than that would be an issue for sure, I'm still wondering if under the house is a good place to hide.


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## davel745

As posted on another thread IMHO the safest, cheapest and easiest thing to do is a septic tank with a door cut in it. Then attach an 8 diameter culvert about 8 foot long and mound dirt over the whole thing. About 3 feet of dirt cover, will protect you quite well. The water table doesn&#8217;t matter if it above ground. Keep a chain saw and a few shovels and a pick to get out if the entrance becomes blocked. I think that with a little planning it can be done for under $2000.00

Dave


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## lamoncha lover

i guess i should have added we are a large family of between 6 and 7 and i am clausterphobic. I did tell hubby I would pack some valium in an emergency bag cuz it is probably the only way I would be able to crawl into a tiny space and not go nuts.


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## PyroDon

suppose ya could bury a school bus


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## davel745

To accommodate your claustrophobia give up on cheap and look at Utah Shelter Systems. http://utahsheltersystems.com/ 

They may be able to help you.

Dave


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## Wylie Kyote

There are many online sites that provide excellent info on what you are looking for. My choice would be to construct a nuclear fallout shelter as the serve many purposes.

Wylie


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## AngieM2

mom and dad have a septic tank sitting on the narrow end, and top has the air tubes. It will sit three in conventional lawn chairs. We were almost in it last Wednesday (we are just up from Harvest AL).


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## lamoncha lover

Dave
I loved the shelters on that site..did loose interest when they talked about being able to buy a sheltyer for what a new pick up truck costs. Just canot do that.
wonder what the bigest septic system they make is and how many people it could hold?


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## Wisconsin Ann

Old style storm shelters were simply holes/caves dug into the side of a hill, or into the ground, with a secure door on top. steps leading down into it. Reinforce like you would a cave. You could turn it into a storage place for items in large barrels or drums. 

The thing about tornadoes is that they are there fast..and gone fast. So you don't need to stay undergound for days...just when the storm is on you. 

For doors..You could use something buried in the ground..maybe attached to concrete pillars embedded, if you're worried about the doors taking off.


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## davel745

lamoncha lover said:


> Dave
> I loved the shelters on that site..did loose interest when they talked about being able to buy a sheltyer for what a new pick up truck costs. Just canot do that.
> wonder what the bigest septic system they make is and how many people it could hold?


I am glad you liked the Utah shelter system. For what it offers it is the cheapest real shelter out there. We plan to buy one some day.

I think that a septic tank stood on end with some kind of door would work in a dire necessity. I wouldnât want to stay in one for more than 8 hours or so. You can maybe put in 5 â 6 real close friends. For storms/tornados it would be ok. For anything longer than a few hours it will be a problem. Nuclear you may want to consider dyeing before staying in a septic tank for 4 weeks or so. Bathroom, showers, lights, air etc 

Dave


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