We are aware that the safest place to be in a tornado or strong wind is below ground.  However we have to consider that not everyone can go below ground.  We realize the elderly and disabled can’t get down the stairs or ladders to safety, and any of us may go through sicknesses where this is true.   Then for that matter who of us wants to get up in the middle of the night and go out in the weather to get to safety. Most of us don't or we wait till it's too late.  Because of this we make these shelters extra strong.  We use the same heavy duty 10 gauge steel, as the below ground and beef it up on all seams.  All our shelters have a skeleton of 4 inch channel but this one has 4 rows of it, which goes up and over the top to protect you from falling debris.  Knowing steel as Dave does, he knew this would make it stronger and give you the needed protection here.

The door is the only separate piece and it's made extra strong.  FEMA specifies that all storm shelters should have a steel door.  Steel is the one thing that has been tested and can withstand the flying and falling debris which could be flown like missiles. They also say any door should have 6 places of attachment.  Ours far exceed their specifications.  We’ve done our best to build these to withstand most anything. 

The Safe Shed and Safe Room are made basically the same.  They each have to be anchored into concrete.  If it is to be placed above ground it has to be anchored very securely and our anchoring system does just that.

Wind usually has to get below an object, such as this, to pick it up. The way these are built, there is very little way air can find a spot large enough to create a draft and move it. Also they have been tested and withstood debris flown at it at over 250 miles per hour, which is the equivalent of a high F4 tornado. We received verbal confirmation of our unit withstanding an F5 due to the limited damage it received during testing. And with the anchoring system (Hilti) we use, it becomes a part of the concrete slab.  So you not only have the weight of the shelter but also the slab attached to it to keep the unit in place during a storm.    

Click on the links for Safe Room and Safe Shed at top to view the main points for each shelter.