Storm Cellar! / Root Cellar! / Gun Safe?

[Jack Ryan]

I guy I work with who has lived in tornadoe alley Oklahoma was telling me a little about a concrete storm cellar he has. Said something like this cost him about $3500 installed and it's water proof.

Seems to me you could put a dandy steel door on that and have way more gun safe than you could buy for that money in gun safes. A room away from the kids to do reloading or what ever. A safe room to dive in to upon attack. lol. What ever, may be even a safe spot in the event of a tornado if you have a house on a slab with no basement.

I think if I was building a new house I'd have to give this some more thought. I'm imagining it in the floor of the garage. No one would ever have a clue to look for it if you didn't want them to, let alone break through a well designed and locked door on it. Even in the dirt floor of a pole barn it would be hard to make it invisible. Then there is always just outside like any other root cellar.

Tornado Master About Us

There is a lot of different but similar makers. This is just the first closest thing to the pictures, he showed me, to come up on google.

 

[Bubbajms]

When I grow up, I want something like that. What's a better safe than a concrete room???

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

When my father passes away and (IF!) I inherit his farm, this may be one of the first projects I do. As it is, I currently rent my home and property so I can't do something like this right now.

I have looked at the site that you put up and a couple of others to research this subject previously and I think that I can do it cheaper than the possible $3,500.00 that you said, so I have hope that I can get it done when I'm ready.

 

[Annie Oakley]

My neighbor just put one in last fall. It isn't very big but, man, is it secure. He did it mainly as a storm shelter. If it had been me doing it I would have made it bigger so that you wouldn't be quite so cozy if you needed to stay there for a while.

 

[Dr Falken]

On the way to visit the in-laws down in the Ozarks, there is a place along I-44 that sells concrete storm cellars. They have them lined up along their road frontage. I find the idea very interesting since it provides a secure storage facility and can double as a root cellar. It would be nicer/easier to have that dedicated space and not have to run around grapping this and that when the tornado comes!

 

[Flaregun]

I saw a place that sells above ground storm cellers down in Trafalgar right on 135. Look for the small concrete buildings with banners hanging on em.

 

[9rows]

i (may or may not) have a storm cellar under the mud room in our house.

if (i did have one and) someone did not know it was there, they would now know it was there. this would mainly be due to the fact that the entrance to the cellar is via a false floor in the coat closet.

the cellar (if, indeed i had one) is a great place to keep bob's, stored food, water, emergency essentials, a spare scatter gun and a couple cases of ammo.

i figure (if i had the cellar as alluded to), i could support a family of four for 2+ weeks without ever leaving the cellar. i wouldn't want to do it, but it could be done.

if i had a storm cellar under my mud room, that is what i would do with it. and that is all i have to say about that.

 

[Flaregun]

i (may or may not) have a storm cellar under the mud room in our house.

You should post the GPS data...oh, nevermind, from your IP addy the jackboots will now know where it is (or is not) located




We have one down at the farm, it is not at all hard to find, it may (or may not) be infested with bees....mean ones. So, not much need to hide it.

 

[bynder]

when i add on to my garage I'll put one in the floor. will be a walk down type and will have some kind of hydraulic assist ram in case the roof falls in on it

 

[9rows]

You should post the GPS data...oh, nevermind, from your IP addy the jackboots will now know where it is (or is not) located




We have one down at the farm, it is not at all hard to find, it may (or may not) be infested with bees....mean ones. So, not much need to hide it.

 

[csaws]

when i add on to my garage I'll put one in the floor. will be a walk down type and will have some kind of hydraulic assist ram in case the roof falls in on it

The hydro assist is a great idea. Our new house will have one built in it.

 

[Flaregun]

when i add on to my garage I'll put one in the floor. will be a walk down type and will have some kind of hydraulic assist ram in case the roof falls in on it

Actually, why dont we just make it an oil change pit, that way we can get double duty out of it?

 

[kludge]

You should post the GPS data...oh, nevermind, from your IP addy the jackboots will now know where it is (or is not) located




We have one down at the farm, it is not at all hard to find, it may (or may not) be infested with bees....mean ones. So, not much need to hide it.

No matter, after two weeks they'll be able to find it from the smell.

 

[CarmelHP]

I didn't see a method of ventilation. How is airflow accomplished?

 

[Jack Ryan]

I didn't see a method of ventilation. How is airflow accomplished?

Most of the ones I've seen had a couple vents on top.

 

[BIG TIM]

Dont forget the dehumidifiers if you intend to store anything steel or all or you will have is a rusty mess. If you are going to build a new house, why not add a 1/2 basement? That used to be some of the cheapest square footage that one could build.

 

[rambone]

pictures!

Anybody have any more pictures of concrete bunkers? I want to see more and get more ideas.

 

[jerrysbad]

bynder,
a hyd. jack and couple of 4X4's will force the lid off and up.

 

[jclark]

I have worked in many new high end new homes in evansville. The builders i work with have installed many panic rooms. Usually they are poured concrete walls with a VERY heavy door. (1 was old bank vault door) During construction one could block up or have a poured wall room insalled in basement, and find a heavy fire rated door. Make for a real nice panic / gun room. If door seales shut one would need fresh air intake... hell you can even heat/cool the thing. Would not cost much extra money to have it built with new home. Build it bigger than what you need so you can buy more guns.

 

[swatdoc]

A vault room door costs about as much as a good size safe, but when placed in a basement concrete room can give you loads more space. Good idea to get an in-swing door for tornado shelter purposes so you're not as likely to be trapped inside if the house falls down around you.

Nice thought for when you're building a new home...not that many of us are likely to be doing that anytime soon!