How to Find the Best Place to Create a Storm Shelter above the Ground?
Where's the best place to place my storm shelter above ground? We hear it all the time, so we figured this would be a good place to have some general data regarding the location of residential storm shelters.
The guidelines for the design of residential storm shelters, FEMA P-320, provide some suggestions for homeowners to adopt when they decide where their shelter should be built.
Never put a storm shelter in a flood hazard area! Heavy rains frequently accompany tornadoes, hurricanes, and extreme thunderstorms, and if waters rise rapidly, a shelter located in a flood hazard area can become unsafe to use. TIP: Visit the FEMA National Flood Hazard maps and enterthe address, find out what flood hazard areas are on or near your house.
Outside the building, storm shelters should not be more than 150 feet from the exit door. And when you are going to shelter in a rush, the road from the house to the shelter should be kept clear of major obstacles that might slow you down or move you.
Avoid putting your storm shelter next to a tank of propane or gasoline. You must not want it outside the family's single source of shelter if large debris, like a truck, is thrown against the tank and causes it to begin leaking, or creates a fire hazard.
Keep in mind that when the weather gets rough, a Secure Sheds above ground storm shelter can typically be located within 2' of your house, making it easy and fast to reach. And for people with mobility problems, as well as pets, the large door and low threshold make it easy to enter. When you open the door, motion sensing LED lights that turn on let you see the inside of your shelter without having a hand free to fumble for a light switch. See us here at EF5 Tornado Shelters in OKC for above the ground or below the ground storm shelters.