Indoors Tornado Shelters

Torshel’s in-ground storm shelters are designed to provide your family with maximum tornado protection. Such units can be installed anywhere in a new house, regularly in a closet, serving as a panic room and/or a safe vault.
Having the shelter installed in the garage or other covered area keeps it safe from the tornado’s climate. In addition, underground installations allow residents to get into their shelter without running through wind, hail, rain, or other dangerous weather conditions.

In-ground shelters are not recommended for people that live in flood-prone areas, near a river or lake, and/or in areas with high water tables. They are also not recommended for those in a wheelchair or clients over 60 years old.

If you live in an area known for having lots of solid rocks, a high-water table, or near a lake or river, a safe room will be the best and cheapest option.

Those who live in a mobile home can use an outdoor in-ground shelter.

Before buying your in-ground shelter, you must call 811 to request free location services to ensure no buried utilities are in the chosen installation area.

TORSHEL’S NEWEST AND HIGH TECHNOLOGY FEATURE!

You can use the tornado shelter to lock valuables. Our shelters come with a deadbolt lock on the door, which you can open and close by using a key. However, you cannot lock a person in because, inside the unit, a knob opens and closes the lock. You can remove this deadbolt lock and install your locking mechanism if you wish.

A Great Choice for New Houses
If you are building a house and need a storm shelter, this will be a good option. It can be a secret room, and you can cover it with a mat. Some clients have installed it in the closet, under the bed, under the kitchen aisle, or in the garage.

There are two methods to proceed with the installation:

1. The builder is asked to leave a form without concrete for our team to install your shelter. The form will be 8 inches bigger than the size of the shelter purchased. For instance, a 5′ W x 8 ‘L in-ground storm shelter will require a 5′ 8″ W x 8’ 8″ L x 5’4″ D “pit”.

2. Torshel’s installation team comes to the site before the concrete is poured. The installers excavate, put the shelter in place, and pour 2-3 cubic yards of concrete. Then, the company that will deliver the concrete will finish pouring around the shelter.

In both scenarios, Torshel covers the unit with a tarp or plastic that should not be removed until the house is finished.  This will keep water and dirt out of the unit.  The jack, lights, and other items that come with the unit will be handed to the homeowner, who can later install them.

Can This Be Installed in An Existing Garage?

We used to install them, but because they are time-consuming and challenging to install, we no longer offer the service.

Will My In-Ground Storm Shelter Float?
In order to stabilize and secure the underground shelter, Torshel anchors it along with the pit with ten (10) or more iron rods. The installing team drills 3” holes (10-30 depending on the size of the unit) on the side of the concrete and insert 12” long pieces of rebar to ensure no movement.  These rods also allow for some space between the ground and the cement used before inserting the shelter to prevent flooding during heavy rainy seasons. Our anchoring technique is very different from many tornado installation services that don’t anchor shelters to stabilize them.  At Torshel, safety is the number one priority.  To ensure this, extra time is taken to anchor the shelter properly for added stability.

CORROSION PROTECTION

First Shield of Protection
All of our steel underground storm shelters are leak-proof, seal-welded, inside and out.  The exterior of the units is covered with coal tar epoxy to prevent corrosion for many years.  This epoxy is used in underground pipelines and marinas to prevent corrosion.  The interior is also powder coated.

Second Level of Protection -Walls and Floor of Concrete
The 4” walls of concrete will not only prevent the unit from floating but will also add many years of protection to your investment.

Lifespan of the Unit

If all the above prevention steps are present, the shelter should last over 50 years.

Ventilation
Built-in ventilation (small holes on the lid) and battery-powered fans (provided) offer plenty of airflow for all the occupants inside the unit.

Will I Get Trapped Inside?
Underground shelters come with two top lids to help you open the doors more easily if there is debris on top of your shelter after a storm. Our in-ground garage shelters come with a sliding door (hatch) for easy access during a storm. In addition, they all come with an 8-ton hydraulic jack with a stand, just in case there is a car or some debris that prevents exiting the unit. Torshel recommends the placement of whistles inside the units as part of your basic disaster preparedness.

These units come with removable stairs to help create more space when the unit is in use. Handrails are also included in the shelter. In addition, Torshel installs a carpet and an aluminum bench, thus giving you a fully functional floor.

The lid/door opening on all our in-ground indoor shelters is 31” Wide x 33” Long.

Please look at the following sizes; we can either install it for you or ship it to your house or job site.