Introduction to Tornado Shelters
America’s Leading Tornado Shelter
Thinking About a Tornado Shelter? Thousands of people every year experience the power of killer storms and tornados. Many of those people do not have a safe place for their family to go during these unpredictable weather events. If you are thinking about purchasing a tornado shelter for your home there are many considerations. Having a safe place to go in an emergency is an investment into the safety of your family. There are many different types of tornado shelters available and navigating these differences is the first step to making sure your investment goes as far as possible.
When thinking about buying a tornado shelter there are many questions to answer. What type, size, material and installation requirements are usually the initial considerations. There are many sizes and shapes of storm shelters. The size of a shelter needed is largely determined by the size of the family using it. Though most storms will not require long stays in a shelter, being sure there is comfortable seating and ample room for some emergency supplies is important.
There is also the question of whether a below ground shelter or above ground shelter is right for your family. Being in the ground is the safest place to be in a tornado and an in-ground shelter designed to protect you in these storms is safer than any basement. Any person who is physically able to get into a below ground unit is safest in the ground. For those who are not physically able to get into a shelter there are many above ground options available. Though above ground units have been known to perform well in tornados, being above ground simply is not as safe as being in the ground.
The door of a tornado shelter is also a very important element. For most underground units the door is the only part exposed to the tornado. Because the door being safe is such an essential part of being protected, FEMA requires shelter doors to be tested to withstand an F5 tornado. Manufacturers of shelter doors that have been tested to withstand an F5 tornado should be able to verify that they have exceeded FEMA 320 or FEMA 361 requirements by documentation of the test.
The material a shelter is made from dramatically influences maintenance and lifespan of this type of product. Different shelters need different degrees of maintenance which can include painting, cleaning, patching cracks or deterioration, oiling hinges, inspecting latches and scraping rust. Some materials deteriorate much faster than others, and will eventually become unusable. Material lifespan is what makes your shelter last the longest and be of the most value.
But, one of the most important consideration is finding a tornado shelter manufacturer that can be trusted and will be available for their customers. It is essential to research the company making this life saving product for your family. A company that can be trusted will have a history of manufacturing this type of product and be familiar with FEMA guidelines for ensuring safety during these deadly storms.
The Granger ISS is a shelter that answers both safety and durability concerns. It is manufactured by a company with two decades of experience with this type of product. The Granger ISS by Granger Plastics Company is a rotationally molded plastic tornado shelter made almost entirely of polyethylene. The polyethylene construction of the Granger ISS will last longer than any other material on the market. The door of the unit, also polyethylene is both FEMA 320 and FEMA 361 exceeding.
The Granger ISS storm shelter has many additional benefits including the innovative double wall design which is foam filled for extra strength. The foam also insulates making the interior of the shelter more comfortable. The Granger ISS has a reverse taper design which does not require the unit to have an anchoring system. This offers the fastest installation possible and is able to be installed in areas other underground shelters simply cannot. Regardless of soil condition, water tables or almost any space construction, this shelter installs in 4 hours or less, seats six or more, has a number of additional safety features including articulating hand rails, gas assisted shock system on the door, easy entry and molded in seating. It also comes with a lifetime warranty against material deterioration including cracking, leaking, rotting or rusting.
A world renown rotational molding supplier with two decades of experience manufacturing this type of product, Granger Plastics Company exceeds all expectations of consumers searching for a shelter to protect their family. Due to the highest quality manufacturing and safety standards the Granger ISS has given peace of mind to people around the globe. As always Granger Plastics products are MADE IN THE USA and the Granger ISS is the industry’s leading tornado shelter innovation.