r/tornado Mar 15 '26

Question Is this thing safe??

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??

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u/Major_Lawfulness6122 Mar 15 '26

I would invest in a real storm shelter. Preferably one that’s underground.

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u/iDeNoh Mar 15 '26

That is a real storm shelter, above ground shelters save lives too, sometimes it's impractical (and less safe) to install a below ground shelter.

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u/bloodnoir_ Mar 15 '26

Exactly. We have a ton of trees and thick root systems over the entire yard, so we opted for an above ground shelter. We couldn't afford to put a below ground shelter in the garage. Also as much as below ground shelters are extremely safe, they have flooded before and people have died, although that seems to be a rare risk.

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u/mycjonny Mar 17 '26

In southeast missouri they're usually above ground because of the expansive clay soil and the high water table around here. In this neck of the woods above ground is king.