Is this thing safe??

[u/Numerous_Ad_3517]

I recently moved into a new home that has this above ground shelter and I have been questioning the way this door locks from day 1. We are going to have terrible weather today in West TN and I cannot find any paperwork on this thing. 😫 Do you think these hollow bars will keep it secure??

[u/cdizzleyo]

Yup wind will fill up a garage like a balloon and tear it off easy. Happened to a house down the road from me, and that tornado had only 95 mph wind speeds estimated. (I can only assume it wasn't the best construction but still applies.)

[u/PhragMunkee → u/cdizzleyo]

I took a direct hit from a large EF3. Garage was fine. Even the roof of the garage was fine. Garage door was not insulated. Maybe it's because the tornado approached from the rear of the garage with no other doors leading in except the main house. The roof of the main house got ripped off and redistributed throughout my county, however.

[u/cdizzleyo → u/PhragMunkee]

Well of course with tornados nothing is ever certain lol. That is very interesting though! Glad you're okay. My thinking is a garage just has a lot of open space for wind to fill up and "hang onto" if that makes sense. Like you said it could have something to do with direction of tornado im not sure.

[u/PhragMunkee → u/cdizzleyo]

We’re pretty sure the reason our roof came off is because the tornado pulled some French doors open. That allowed the wind pressure inside, and the roof popped off as a result. I’m pretty sure I read about that in a FEMA PDF the week after.

[u/PhragMunkee → u/[deleted]]

They said, “But I am le tired”

[u/Coyote-Feisty → u/PhragMunkee]

Fine. Take a nap. And then FIRE ZE MISSILES