With the increasing number of tornados in the Arkansas area, more homeowners are turning to storm shelters to provide a safe place to wait out a storm on their own property.
There are two basic options in storm shelters. One is a below ground shelter, which is a leakproof shell that is placed in the ground with a surface door for access and stairs down to an area to sit or stand out of danger. These are a popular option on farms and rural properties as well as in urban areas.
The second option and one this is equally popular is an above ground storm shelter. As the name implies, these durable types of shelters are not dug into the ground but rather designed to sit on top of the surface.
Basic Considerations
The above ground storm shelter, which is sometimes considered a safe room, is designed to comfortably hold a specific number of people for s short period of time. They can be designed to sit outside, or they can be placed in a room of the home, providing the floor allows for the room to be secured to the concrete pad.
Typically, outdoor styles of these storm shelters are made of thick, strong concrete and reinforced with rebar and a fiber-mesh reinforcing material. For added protection, there is a steel door that is a full 36 inches wide, which allows for wheelchair access. These shelters, like indoor versions, are secured to a concrete slab.
The indoor designs in the above ground storm shelter can be built into the frame of the home, or they can be modular and bolt-together types of shelters that can be installed in a pre-existing home in Arkansas with very limited modification of the room required.