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“Economical, safe Storm Shelters, Tornado Shelters, and Tornado Safe Rooms tested to withstand an EF-5 tornado and meet or exceed FEMA guidelines; for purchase and install starting at $3500 installed…”
Welcome to Huntsville Tornado Shelters.com!
>> We now offer in-house financing as low as 2.99% – CONTACT US for more information and we’ll put you in touch with our finance specialists. >> Also, we’re excited to announce the Grand Opening of our new Huntsville showroom likely to take place in early 2013so stay tuned to your email and our facebook page for details as we’ll be raffling off another FREE storm shelter for those participants in attendance.(Just enter your information in the form on the right of this page to get on our email list for the latest updates AND get your FREE Weather Call @Home service —>
We offer 3 different storm shelter brands, all of which meet or exceed FEMA guidelines and have been tested by Texas Tech University’s Wind Science and Engineering Center to withstand an EF-5 Tornado (each has various models/sizes):
Since we first introduced our All Weather Safe Roomtornado safe room line, we’ve had a great response from people who wanted a way to keep their family safe, yet not have to go outside and climb down steps. Our All Weather Safe Room line with units from 4′x4′ to 10′x50′ has been able to do just that for many families. These tornado safe rooms have been tested by the premiere impact testing facility in the industry – Texas Tech University Wind Science and Engineering Center – in order to ensure they can stand up to the force and impact of debris in an EF-5 tornado.
Every model also meets or exceeds FEMA guidelines so you know you’ve got a quality product that’s safe and also offers a 15 year warranty. The units are customizable as they are all custom built to suit, depending on the size you require and we also now offer benches with storage bins underneath (optional accessory) and we also can build safe rooms to be placed outside (like our community safe rooms, for example).
Putting the finishing touches on a new community safe room
The All Weather Safe Rooms of course have been designed to protect against damaging severe weather like a Huntsville tornado, but can also be used as a panic room (in case your home were to get broken into and you needed somewhere safe to go until the police showed up), a bunker (in case of social unrest or some other unexpected event where you might need protection), or a safe (somewhere you can keep your valuables, like guns, ammo, precious metals, jewelry, important documents, etc).
There are two different models you can choose from, once you have determined your size requirements, and that’s either standard (3/16 inch thick walls and ceiling with a 1/4 inch thick door) or deluxe (1/4 inch thick walls, door and ceiling). Now both models will protect against an EF-5 tornado, but if you’d like it to be that much stronger, maybe to repel a bigger caliber bullet for example, if you’re concerned about that or just to have that added level of security just in case, a deluxe model will cost an additional $1,000.
So what do you do if you just don’t have space for a 4×4 tornado safe room in your garage?
Suppose you want the protection of a safe room but don’t want to have leave one of your cars outside the garage. What can you do then?
We have just introduced our newest and least expensive All Weather Safe Room measuring 3 feet by 5 feet with 80 inch ceilings. You can get this 3×5 tornado safe room installed in your garage from $3795, depending on your location which is an extremely affordable price for any kind of storm shelter or tornado safe room. It has nearly the same amount of square footage meaning (just 1 foot less) yet it’s over $200 cheaper and gives you an additional foot of width or length in your garage so you don’t have to park your car in the driveway. Luckily, we now have a solution for you!
In addition, with the introduction of this new smaller model, we are also now upgrading all our safe rooms to come standard with 3 locking Medeco deadbolts (as opposed to having to upgrade to deluxe to receive this benefit). Previously, a standard model would come with only 1 locking Medeco deadbolt and 2 slider pins which still met FEMA requirements but now we’re able to include 3 heavy-duty locking deadbolts in the standard model with no need for slider pins.
Learn more about our tornado safe rooms and storm shelters and make sure your family will be safe before the next severe weather storm hits.
PS> Don’t forget to signup for your free WeatherCall @Home by simply entering your name in the form on the top right of this page.
One example of short cuts people try to take. It may work... but is it worth the risk? What if it doesn't...
Which is better? An underground storm shelter? Or an above-ground tornado safe room?
You’ve seen the destruction that tornadoes and severe weather can wreak on homes, businesses and entire communities and you know you need better protection from these devastating storms. By now hopefully you’ve also realized that not all storm shelters or tornado safe rooms are created equal. While having some sort of storm shelter or safe room is better than no safe room or tornado shelter, to ensure your family’s safety and survival through even the most dangerous of storms, you need to choose wisely.
Most people are familiar with the old type of metal or concrete storm shelter that years down the road now more closely resembles a dungeon than a safe place to ride out severe weather. These older units, while again better than nothing, in most cases were simply not designed or tested to withstand the impact of a strong storm, like a Huntsville tornado.
One of the most serious issues is usually the door. With the high winds and blowing debris, you want to make sure your storm shelter or tornado safe room door is impact-tested to withstand both the wind trying to pull it off it’s hinges (requiring a substantial hinge and 3-point locking system) as well as impact from debris traveling at 250mph (like a 2×4 or tree branch), simulating the worst of storms, an EF-5 tornado.
This area is where most storm shelters fail. A regular wood or even metal framed door is not designed to withstand the impact of such objects at anywhere near those kinds of speeds. If the door were to fail or worse get sucked off, you may be subject to imminent injury or worse death. Needless to say, you need to make sure your storm shelter or safe room door is strong, secure and specifically tested to withstand impact from an EF-5 tornado, the strongest of tornadoes. (The premier tornado testing facility is at the Texas Tech University Wind Science Center)
The question I’m asked the most is whether or not an above-ground safe room can actually be as safe as an underground storm shelter. To answer that question quickly, simply watch this short video below:
So this begs the question, if an above-ground impact-tested tornado safe room can be as safe as an underground impact-tested storm shelter, how do you decide which to choose?
The answer is quite simple; it really is a matter of personal preference and space.
If you have a 2 or 3-car garage – or even a 1-car garage that you don’t use to park your car in and have the space for a 4×6, 4×4, 4×8 or other sized tornado safe room, then that may be an option for you. Conversly, if you do not have any available space for even a 3 1/2 foot x 4 foot safe room in your garage or on a back patio or something, then an underground storm shelter may be the best option for you.
If you have the space in your garage for a tornado safe room, the benefits are:
You can enter from your house without having to get wet or subjected to the outside elements (assuming your garage is attached to your home and has a garage door)
You can also use a safe room to store valuables like guns, jewelry, important documents, etc as you would use a safe (you may want to consider installing a deluxe model safe room for this purpose if you’d like a little thicker walls and three heavy-duty Medeco deadbolts to make it that much harder to break into)
Easy access in and out for those who may be wheelchair-bound or have difficulty going up and down stairs
The All Weather Safe Room can just as easily be uninstalled as it is installed if you decide to move and want to take your tornado safe room with you
Each of the All Weather Safe Rooms comes standard at 80 inches high, giving you plenty of head space, again making it very easy to enter and exit
All Weather Safe Rooms also have vertical doors that open inward in case a strong storm hits and causes part or all of your garage to collapse around you (which, being surrounded by your garage is likely to happen) so that you’re able to easily climb out after the storm
The ability to choose a custom size (down to the inch) and door location for safe room, for as few as 3 adults to as many as 100 (10×50 foot safe room, ie, our community safe room) as the All Weather Safe Rooms are custom built for each customer
You do not have a suitable location for an above-ground storm shelter
You “feel” safer being underground that above-ground.
You’d like a more economical option to give you more space for your dollar. An underground storm shelter is likely to give you more space as metal is more expensive than fiberglass, saving you as much as $1,000 depending on which storm shelter you choose
You prefer to be outside in the open to decrease your chances of the building around you collapsing on top of you
You have neighbors or family who you also want to easily be able to get into your storm shelter
You want to protect up to 20 adults in one location, underground
In conclusion, any way you look at it, a tested, quality underground storm shelter is just as safe as an above-ground storm shelter (assuming you’re dealing with a reputable company with quality products that have been specifically engineered, designed and tested for use as tornado protection); the question you have to decide is which factors are most important to me and which one do I prefer?
If you’re still unsure though and would like to discuss your situation with us further to review other concerns or specific issues your house or yard may contain, just give us a call or send us an email anytime by calling (256) 258-WIND (9463) or click on the CONTACT US tab at the top of the page. Hopefully this article has helped you figure out which option may be best for you and your family.
Please comment below and let us know your thoughts, your determining factors, etc and also be sure to share this article with anyone else you feel may benefit from it, via facebook, twitter or other means as well.
On Dec 1, 2011 the creators and manufacturers of the All Weather Safe Room decided to donate a tornado safe room to a young couple in Madison, Alabama after their home was completely demolished during the April 27, 2011 Huntsville tornado. All that remained of their property was a make-shift tornado safe room they had created out of cinder-block – luckily for their sake, it held up, if only barely…
Flash.org and CNN got wind of the story and decided to bring out their camera crews to also record this wonderful event. We also were able to capture some great footage of the entire install process from unloading the tornado safe room off the trailer to locating it in place and installing it in Kevin’s garage, which you can view below.
As you’ll hear in another video regarding these All Weather Safe Rooms, the installation process is such that you can actually install the tornado shelter in your garage and should you decide to move, you can actually just call us up and we can reinstall your tornado safe room if you like to take the safe room with you to your next house. Or, you can leave it in place and add approximately $10,000 to the value of your home as in the case of the tornado safe room as configured in the video below.
Essentially though, with a trained and certified installation crew and the proper materials and tools, installation of the All Weather Safe Room can be completed within an hour or so from start to finish. The unit weighs several thousand pounds (the heavy-duty door itself weighs 350 lbs) so while it may look easy to install in the video, it’s simply the result of using the right tools and understanding the install method to ensure the shelter is installed correctly so that it can protect from a severe Huntsville tornado (even an F-5 Huntsville tornado), as tested by the Texas Tech University Wind Science Center, the premiere tornado testing facility.
Once installed, the All Weather Safe Room can not only protect you as a tornado safe room from severe weather as mentioned, but it can also double as a safe (to store valuables like guns, ammunition, precious metals, coins, and other valuables) as well as a panic room in case of burglarly. (We can also custom build safe rooms to guard against fire and larger bullets, if desired).
Watch the video below which shows the complete installation process for our All Weather Safe Room, the premiere tornado safe room:
Where Will You And Your Family Go In The Event Of Severe Weather or The Next Huntsville Tornado?
Lifesaver Storm Shelters offer safer, more comfortable, quality shelters that people will ACTUALLY USE if severe weather, like a Huntsville tornado, strikes. Many concrete or metal shelters go unused by their owners because the interiors are often scary places. This defeats the purpose of having an underground shelterwhich you and your family should NOT hesitate to use during severe weather.
Lifesaver Storm Shelters (& Refuge) Standard Features:
Our Huntsville tornado shelters & Lifesaver Storm Shelters are made of fiberglass, stainless steel hardware, and a plastic honeycomb composite floor system that won’t rot, leak or conduct electricity, ensuring your safety and peace of mind in case of another dangerous Huntsville tornado – you won’t have to think twice about using it! (see more photos & videos on the right hand side —–>)
(To see more from our happy and satisfied Lifesaver customers,
watch this WAFF Channel 48 Video by clicking here)
Otherstorm shelter manufacturers usewood, concrete or metal all of which will crack, leak, rot and rust allowing water, insects, rodents and snakes to enter the shelter as well as providing an environment for mold or mildew to thrive. Metal shelters can also be dangerous as they can conduct electricity from downed power lines or lightning – especially in the rain.
You will find many competitors claiming they have the best storm shelter available…
The question is, can they PROVE their fiberglass, steel, or PLASTIC shelter will withstand a Category F-4 or F-5 Tornado? Probably Not!
8 lives were spared on one of the most tragic days in Alabama history recently thanks to an underground LIFESAVER tornado shelter. Click on the following link to see the photos: Lifesaver Storm Shelter(in Tanner, AL after April 2011 Huntsville tornadoes)
Unlike many other tornado shelters out there, the Lifesaver underground storm shelterexceeds FEMA 320 guidelines, having successfully passed the Texas Tech Wind Science and Engineering Center tests. These guidelines ensure, among other things, that the shelter can withstand upwards of 250 mph winds, impacts from objects and debris at high-speed, adequate ventilation, a securely locking door that can also be opened by emergency crews if necessary, etc.
You can find all the FEMA, NSSA and other requirements that the Lifesaver storm shelters exceeded, as well as the engineering specs and test results conducted by the Texas Tech University’s Wind Science and Engineering Research Center (THE premier tornado science institute), on this page: FEMA Storm Shelter Requirements
Storm Shelter Models, Sizes & Common Applications
We have tornado storm shelters and safe rooms to accommodate every size, need and budget, from our 4-person storm shelter starting as low as $3500 on up to our 20-person shelter (great for businesses too like day care centers, factories, office buildings, small businesses, mobile homes & parks, retirement homes, RV parks and campsites, churches, US Gov’t & Military Facilities, Local & City Gov’t Facilities, and more).
To see the different Lifesaver underground storm shelters and varying sizes available, visit the following page for more information, pictures and videos: Lifesaver Storm Shelter Models
FINANCING AVAILABLE as low as 2.9% for Approved Customers
We can install in your yard or garden, in a garage/driveway slab (to be poured) or crawl space (new construction)*. Our certified, licensed, bonded and insured installers can put the shelter just about anywhere there’s space for it so you and your family can have proper shelter from the storm (call if you have specific questions or would like a free site visit & analysis).
*Note: we do not do very many underground garage-slab installations due to recent carbon monoxide poison issues brought up (CO is heavier than air and therefore sinks to the lowest point in your garage, ending up in your storm shelter, a potentially very dangerous situation).
We install our underground shelters and safe rooms in the greater Huntsville / Northern Alabama areas, including southern Tennessee and other outlying areas. Installs can be as fast as 3-4 hours (depending on install location) – Lifesaver Storm Shelters of North Alabama guarantees the install for life! Call for further details or questions on installs.
NO COMPANY CAN MATCH OUR PRICE OR QUALITY ON STORM SHELTERS
For More Information, exact Pricing and to get your questions answered, call Hans or Danny now:
Schedule a Free Storm Shelter viewing for your house or business – so you can touch it, feel it and experience the quality and superior design of our Huntsville Tornado shelters with NO OBLIGATION or COST – just put your details into the form down below!
PLUS, we’ll also give you a FULL YEAR of WeatherCall@Home – the pinpoint, address-specific weather alert service – FREE. So don’t delay, get your FREE Private Storm Shelter viewing scheduled today! Just Enter your details in the form below now:
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Lifesaver LS-12 Storm Shelter
YES! We’ll Bring Over a Shelter!
There's no better way to check out our storm shelters or safe rooms than by experiencing them live in person. You can come to one of our events (see facebook page below for details) or we'll gladly come to your home or business with our display so you can touch it, feel it and experience it, first hand: NO COST, NO OBLIGATION.
PLUS, we'll give you a FULL YEAR of WeatherCall@Home - the pinpoint, address-specific weather alert service that will call, text & email you when a storm is actually headed toward your home or business - FREE. Just go ahead and put your info down below now:
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