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The Importance of Anchors with Tornado Shelters
February 27, 2024
The threat of tornadoes is a constant reminder of nature's unpredictable power. We understand the worry that comes with sheltering from a powerful tornado. We see this fear present in the questions asked by those who wonder how we can possibly anchor down something above ground against an EF5 tornado.
The answer is in the science of the design. There is robust technology and meticulous engineering behind our storm shelter designs. Survive-A-Storm is committed to quality and safety. We are certified by the NSSA and our shelters meet all the requirements of FEMA320 regulations.
As a leading storm shelter provider, we must be absolute in our choices and informed of which hardware is the best to anchor our storm shelters. That’s why after much research and careful consideration, we only trust our tornado shelters to be secured with Red Head Anchors. We have the test results to show it.
Our TwisterPod, has 24 anchor holes, though only 12 need to be used. They can be anchored either inside the shelter or outside, or they can alternate between inside and outside. These options give our customers more choices when placing their shelters. At 5,940 lbs of pressure per bolt, with 12 bolts, it can resist 71,280 lbs of pressure.
Our 6’ x 4’ Extreme model uses 20 anchor bolts. At 5,940 lbs of pressure per bolt, this gives the shelter a tension strength of 118,800 psi.
The concrete that the shelters are placed on is, at a minimum, 3000 psi, typically 4” thick. When you couple our anchoring system with our slab requirements, our shelters are “over-engineered” and can protect against more pounds of pressure than required.
Our 100% steel shelters, combined with the Red Head anchoring system, provide near-absolute protection to ride out any storm. We have never lost a customer to a tornado, and we do not intend to. We put a lot of heart into our products, but we know that’s not enough. That’s why we have the science and testing to back it up. Because of our commitment to developing and analyzing our designs, we are confident in what we do and who we are — America's #1 storm shelter provider. Ask anyone who has found protection in one of our storm shelters, and you'll understand why they think we are, too! If you would like to know more, please give us a call at 888-360-1492 or chat with us online.
