Root Cellar Storm Shelter

root cellar storm shelter

Root cellar storm shelters are underground bunkers designed to provide protection from violent weather conditions, particularly tornadoes. Root cellar storm shelters can often be found in Midwest (“Tornado Alley”) and Southeastern United States regions with frequent tornado activity – usually where ground levels are low enough for underground structures like these to exist safely. They may also serve as food storage. Modern residential tornado shelters are designed for maximum protection using high-grade materials that adhere to stringent standards of construction techniques and materials that ensure maximum safety and peace of mind for their residents.

Establishing a root cellar that doubles as a storm shelter is an excellent way to increase both security and storage capabilities of your home. These sturdy yet inexpensive earthen structures can store canned goods, produce, extra water supplies, dry goods and equipment that may come in handy during an unexpected natural disaster. However, before embarking on such an undertaking yourself it’s crucial that you understand what makes a suitable tornado or hurricane shelter before beginning construction yourself.

Root cellars provide shelter from storms with cooler temperatures that help extend food preservation by keeping release of ethylene gas that causes vegetables to spoil and growth of mold to a minimum. Proper ventilation of your shelter is critical in keeping food at peak condition, and having access to an air temperature and humidity monitoring gauge is an essential addition for any home root cellar.

Although most root cellars are constructed from bricks, some are also built using old stock tanks. These tanks make an excellent choice as their curved design is naturally more resilient against twisters. Steel plates and iron bars found on tank frames add strength while bolting plates onto them provides additional support and deflects debris during tornado or hurricane events.

One option for creating an underground tornado shelter is using a shipping container, as these are readily available and have several advantages over other forms. They feature a curved shape which makes them stronger than rectangular buildings while their thicker materials help them withstand pressure from tornadoes better than other shelter types. They also come equipped with more reinforced doors which can withstand their force.

If you choose to use a shipping container as the foundation for your cellar, it’s essential that you understand its walls may come under pressure from soil pressure. In order to prevent its collapse and ensure rainwater drains off easily from the shelter. You will also need to build a retaining wall around it and dig a trench around it so rainwater runs off away from its shelter.

Root cellars aren’t required as tornado shelters, but many families in areas prone to tornadoes choose them as an additional measure. Constructing one is relatively straightforward and costs much less than building an underground shelter of equivalent quality; just ensure it provides plenty of ventilation and has clear escape routes in case of emergency.


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