Operating Guide

ManualsBrandsSwisher ManualsSheds, Garages & Outdoor StorageESP 7 ft. x 3.25 ft. x 6.66 ft. Metal Tornado Safety Shelter

1/29/2021

Things to Consider and FAQs When Planning to Purchase a Safe Room

Which is better, an underground shelter or an above-ground shelter?

Studies have shown that you are just as safe in an approved/certified above-ground safe room as in a

below-ground shelter. In certain situations you could actually be safer in an above-ground shelter,

such as when there is flooding or if the door is blocked by debris with no other way out.

Cons for below-ground shelters

•

Susceptible to stresses and strains of the ground freezing in the wintertime

•

Can be forced out of the ground in areas where the water table is high

•

Expensive to dig if bedrock exists

•

Possibility of flooding from rain, broken water pipes, or a high water table

•

Steep, narrow stairs for entry

Pros for above-ground shelters

•

Little or no ground preparation required

•

Can be entered easily, particularly by elderly or disabled

•

Less chance of flooding from rain or broken pipes

•

Less expensive to install in most cases

•

Can be conveniently located within the house or structure

What is a Safe Room vs. a Storm Shelter?

There is no law that requires manufacturers to test and certify their storm shelters. Buyer Beware!

There are many shelter manufacturers out there that are not certified. The buyer should always ask if

the manufacturer’s products have been approved and verified by the NSSA (National Storm Shelter

Association).

It is logical that debris impact testing would be more important for above-ground shelters, and ground

stress testing would be more important for below-ground shelters. Since most communities would

require a building permit for such a project, a family would have to have a building inspector examine

the plans for the shelter, and what building inspectors require would probably vary from community to

community perhaps even requiring the approval of a professional engineer. The Swisher ESP Safety

Shelter does qualify as a FEMA Safe Room based upon compliance with ICC 500

, FEMA P-361

, and

FEMA P-320

The ESP Safety Shelter passed all tests at Texas Tech National Wind Institute and underwent a

rigorous design analysis to withstand 250 mph winds from any direction as generated by an EF5

tornado.

Summary of content (6 pages)

PAGE 1
Things to Consider and FAQs When Planning to Purchase a Safe Room Which is better, an underground shelter or an above-ground shelter? Studies have shown that you are just as safe in an approved/certified above-ground safe room as in a below-ground shelter. In certain situations you could actually be safer in an above-ground shelter, such as when there is flooding or if the door is blocked by debris with no other way out.
PAGE 2
What is the NSSA? The National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA) grew out of concern for storm shelter quality after the Oklahoma City tornadoes of May 1999. The concept of an above-ground storm shelter, called an inresidence shelter had been introduced in the Civil Engineer Magazine 25 years earlier. Redevelopment of the shelter concept led Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to publish FEMA P-3203, Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room for Your Home or Small Business.
PAGE 3
What does NSSA offer you? To a shelter consumer, NSSA offers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
PAGE 4
If you have already decided that you are going to buy a shelter, ask the hard questions before you invest, because it really is an investment and your life could depend on it. What is the safest shelter you offer? All of our shelters have been designed, engineered, professionally evaluated, and tested to surpass the requirements needed to withstand an EF5 tornado. The discerning factor is the shelter size that makes you feel the safest.
PAGE 5
What type of warranty do you provide? ESP Safety Shelters properly installed and registered come with a Lifetime Storm Damage Replacement Benefit and a 5 Year Limited Warranty. See product owner’s manual for complete replacement and warranty details. As my family grows, can the ESP Safety Shelter be enlarged? Yes it can. You can purchase additional Expansion Kits (PN 20206) that will increase the depth of your shelter in 15” increments per kit.
PAGE 6
What type of concrete foundation is required for your shelter? To obtain near absolute protection from 250 mph EF5 tornado winds, the ESP Safety Shelter should be secured to an adequate concrete slab as outlined in your shelter’s installation manual. At a minimum, a 5” thick slab of 2500 psi (min) concrete is required with reinforcing of #4s on 24” centers. In addition, an overhang of concrete is required, depending on the shelter size (see installation manual for details).