Installation of Modular or Bolt Together Safe Room

Please watch the video installation available a few times to get familiar with the process. Review all instructions before you begin, and during assembly, follow the step sequence carefully for correct results. This information is intended for homebuilders and DIY clients who have construction skills and the right equipment. You can hire a local and reputable contractor to install it for you, following these guidelines.

SAFETY FIRST!

Safety precautions are important to follow throughout the loading, unloading, and installation of your
shelter unit.
Keep bystanders, children, and pets away from worksite to avoid distractions and any accidents.
Care must be taken when handling the shelter unit. Please wear a safety vest, work gloves, proper foot, and eye protection, helmet, a disposable dust mask, and earplugs when installing the unit.
Practice caution with the tools being used in the installation of the shelter. Be familiar with the operation of all power tools.
This safe room is intended to be installed by people who have skills and experience working in construction or similar area. If you think that you can’t do it, hire somebody professional that works in a similar field.

WARNING: Failure to follow these instructions can result in severe personal injury or substantial
product/property damage or both if proper precautions are not taken

Liability Waiver
Torshel specifically disclaims all liability arising from or related to the installation of the shelter units by the client. The client understands that Torshel cannot be held liable for any damages or accidents due to clients’ improper use or modification of our product and equipment used during the installation process.
About the concrete slab. Before installing on an existing construction and if the house is old, please remove the flooring (tile, hardwood, or carpet) to make sure that there are no severe cracks in it. If you have tension cables instead of rebar or fiber in the concrete, you will need to scan the slab prior to the installation to make sure that you won’t hit the cables and have an accident. Suggested scanner GMS120 Digital Multi-Scanner for wood, metal, wiring.

The installation on ceramic tile floors is not recommended at all since they are apt to break. If you have tile, you MUST remove it first.
Extreme care should be taken when installing the unit on wooden floors to avoid scratches.

Tools and Products Required

  • A Rotary Hammer Drill SDS
  • SDS concrete drill bit 3/4-inch diameter by 6” or 10” (depending on the thickness of the concrete)
  • A Torque Wrench and 3/4-inch socket
  • 6” Steel Adjustable Wrench
  • Caulk Gun and Weather Proof Silicone Sealant
  • Shop Vacuum Cleaner
  • Tape Measure
  • Small utility pry bar (to adjust the panels while installing them)
  • White Gloss Protective Enamel Spray Paint (Rust-Oleum)

Accessories:

  • Floor plates
  • 12” or 6” Wall panels
  • Corner panels (4)
  • Roof panels
  • Door assembly
  • Deadbolts
  • Deadbolt handles
  • Plastic hinge washers
  • Hinge pins
  • LED lights
  • Window cover
  • Window bullet resistant glass
  • Outside handle
  • Inside latch
  • Backing plate
  • 1/2” x 1.5” Button head
  • 1/2” Nuts
  • .5” Washers
  • 3/4” Anchors maybe be shipped
  • separately

Step 1. Moving the Crate
If there is need to move the unit use a pallet jack or a forklift

Step 2. Set Up

Mark the area where the safe room will be located, including the door location.
Ensure enough space (2” minimum) between the back wall of the unit and the wall of the selected site to be able to fasten the panel screws from the outside (nuts towards the inside of the unit).
Allow enough working space for ease of moving parts into position during assembly.
Start by taking parts out of the container, and stage all items onto the floor in an orderly fashion.

Step 3. Installation


a) Corner (3 sides squared shape), wall panel (flat ends), ceiling (squared ends)
b) Start by setting up one corner panel (e.g., the left rear corner).
c) Attach one wall panel and install a bolt with a washer and nut to hold it, one on the top and one on the bottom, tight them a bit.
d) Repeat the above step on the opposite side, forming an L shape.
e) The nuts should be facing the inside to facilitate the tightening.
f) Place floor plates on the ground; start attaching the wall panels on both sides of the corner panel against the floor plates by inserting and tightening bolts with their respective washers and nuts lightly, making sure the holes of the wall panels and of the floor plate align correctly.
g) Continue with the same steps attaching the rest of the walls and corners.
h) When you have the back walls ready, push the safe room to its final location, after you install the ceiling, it will be hard to move it.

Step 4. Ceiling

a) By standing on a stool, start putting together the roof panels by resting the panels on the top “lip” of the wall panels.
b) Align holes and proceed to install the button head bolts from the backside of the panels (inserting from the space between the house wall and the back wall of the shelter).
c) The nuts should be facing toward the inside of the unit. Exercise extreme care when installing roof panels since they can fall down and cause severe injuries.
d) When installing the last roof panel, you may need to shake or wiggle the panel to ensure that it rests on the vertical wall panel. Again, make sure the panel holes align and fit perfectly.

Step 5. Door (two people needed)

a) If installing the safe room on a carpet, increase the number of hinge washers (e.g., 3 per hinge) to elevate the door; thus, avoiding contact between door and carpet.
b) Lift the doorframe and place it on its site.
c) You may need to use a 2 x 4 piece of lumber to lift from the bottom and facilitate the positioning of the doorframe. Again, exercise extreme care when installing the frame since it is heavy and could cause severe injuries.
d) Install the “backing plate” (small white steel strip) with holes between the doorframe and the door.
e) Install one bolt on each corner to hold the doorframe.
f) Install the rest of the bolts.
g) Tighten bolts pointing toward the inside of the unit.
h) Tighten bolts of doorframe against corner panel and side panel.

Door Panels

1) The installation of the door is easier if it is open entirely to the inside, pressing against the right-side wall panels; one person working in the inside of the unit, and another one in the outside. Install door (2 panels); larger door panel at the bottom and smaller ones on top.
2) Install the bottom first; place pins inside the hinges; plastic washers go between the hinges and pins through the hinges.
3) Install the second panel, using the same technique.
4) Proceed with the tightening of the bulletproof window (4 pieces of glass go inside the widow cover).
5) Position and tighten the air intake plate at the mid-bottom section of the door.

Deadbolts
Proceed to install the outside handle by inserting and tightening the screws provided; do the same with the inside latch.
If your unit comes with a keypad lock instead, ignore the two previous instructions.
Follow instructions provided in the packaging of the keypad or dead bolt lock.

Step 6. Tightening The Safe Room’s Bolts
Make sure that the shelter it squared, and the door opens and closes properly, once this
part is done use a torque wrench to tighten lightly each bolt at 70-80 lbs of torque.

Step 7. Installing the anchors. One of the most important steps, take your time.

A. Using the drill hammer and an SDS core drill bit, proceed to make bottom holes of the circumference of the steel frame of the shelter, proceed to drill a hole in one corner, 4” or 7” deep depending on the concrete slab (make sure to wear earplugs and goggles).
B. Re-brush the drilled hole to free dust from the inside and clean it well with a vacuum cleaner to remove any loose materials and dust (removing dust improves the strength of concrete anchors).
C. Dispense a bit of silicone in the anchor hole for watertight seals (preventive measure).
D. Proceed by inserting an anchor in this hole and place a washer and a nut in place; tighten lightly.
E. Proceed to drill another hole in the diagonally opposite corner of the safe room. This way, the unit will remain secured to the slab and prevent shifting out of alignment.
F. Dispense a bit of silicone in the anchor hole for watertight seals (preventive measure).
G. Proceed by inserting an anchor in this hole and place a washer and a nut in place; tighten lightly.
H. Continue drilling the remaining holes along the bottom of the steel frame (make sure to wear earplugs and goggles). Do not drill holes where post-tension cables have been spotted.
I. Re-brush each drilled hole to free dust from the inside and clean it well with a vacuum cleaner to remove any loose materials and dust.
J. Dispense a bit of silicone in the remaining anchor holes for watertight seals (preventive measure).
K. Insert anchors and put their respective washers and nuts in place; tighten lightly.
L. Proceed by tightening anchors up to a maximum of 110 lbs. of torque pressure (over-tightening will cause damage to anchors).
M. Paint the screws to decrease the incidence of rust.
N. Dispense silicone caulking for watertight seals all around the outside perimeter of the unit.
O. Retouch scrapes and nicks made during the delivery and/or installation process with the white gloss protective enamel spray paint.
P. Make sure that the safe room in good working conditions and you should be ready to use your new storm shelter / safe room.

Disassembling

1. Get a suitable pallet or crate
2. Unscrew the air intake and bullet resistant windows.
3. Unscrew the shelter’s door; lift top door panel as the hinge pin is pushed upwards. Detach the top door panel and continue with the bottom door panel.
4. Unscrew the shelter’s latch and door handle.
5. Unscrew roof panels.
6. Unscrew the bottom section of the wall panels.
7. Remove panels attached to each other.
8. Cut flash the anchors flush with the concrete slab using an angle grinder (use goggles and ear protectors)
9. Pack it very well and it is ready for shipping

Warranty

Our shelters meet or exceed FEMA’s stringent standards and are designed to keep you
both safe and comfortable. We back our work with a 10-year warranty.

Maintenance

Rust may start to appear in some parts of the unit with the passage of time. Simple rust
protection measures can help diminish or prevent rust from occurring.