| American Storm Shelters | ||
| Are you a manufacturer or dealer? | We build the American Storm Shelter, and may soon be carrying the Passover Storm Shelter too. | |
| Since what year have you been in business? | 1970 | |
| Since what year have you been manufacturing or selling shelters? | 1998 | |
| Where are you located? | In the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. | |
| What areas do you serve? | In our area, and in a 150 mile radius around Dallas/Fort Worth, my crews build the shelter. In other parts of the country we use sub-contractors. | |
| Is your shelter made to be installed above ground level, fully below ground level, or only partially buried? | The American Storm Shelter is an above-ground unit although it can be put underground and I have done so on occasion. | |
| What material is your shelter made of and how thick is it? | The shelter we build is composed of concrete block, concrete and 1/2 to 3/4" steel rebar. The walls are 8" thick. | |
| What is the length, width, and height of the shelters that you sell? | Since it is built in place, it can be built to any size, although we advertise both a 6' X 6' and an 8' X 8' size in our literature. | |
| Do you enter the shelter while still in the home, or do you leave the home and enter the shelter from the outside? | You would enter the shelter from inside the home. | |
| How does one access the shelter? | ||
| How does your shelter provide fresh air? | It really need no ventalition although it can be provided if the customer wishes. | |
| How is the shelter anchored in the ground? | It is anchored in the ground with 18" footings. The steel rebar in the footings extends up into the walls of the shelter. | |
| Was it designed to be installed when a home is first being built, or is it installed on the lot of a finished house? | It can be built when the house is constructed, attached to the house, or as a free standing unit. | |
| How is the shelter delivered, and by who? | The American Storm Shelter is built in place so no delivery is necessary. | |
| Who installs it? | We do. | |
| Is any heavy equipment needed to install the unit? | The heaviest piece of equipment I use is a wheelbarrow. | |
| What kind of issues with shelter installation are you and your customers most likely to run into in your area(bedrock, high water table, frozen ground etc.)? | The soil conditions are unimportant, because it is above ground. | |
| What provision has been made in case the entrance/exit is blocked by a fallen tree or debris? | Provisions for blocked entrances are best dealt with with a jacking system to push open the door. These are options on all units. | |
| Is there a second exit in the unit? | No. | |
| Can the entrance door be locked? | The entrance to all units can be locked. | |
| Do you have any handicapped-accessible units? | It is wholly handicapped accessible. | |
| What provision has been made for seating, lighting, or storage? | Lighting and seating are options. | |
| Are these items included in the base price or are they extra? | Options. | |
| Are there other accessories and options that are available? If so, what are they? | ||
| What is the typical cost both uninstalled and installed? | The 6' X 6' shelter is $6000, and the 8 X 8 is $ 6400. | |
| Do you have a warranty, and if so, for how long and what does it cover? | 10 years | |
| Has your shelter undergone any kind of testing by engineers? | Our shelter is built to the specifications set forth by Texas Tech University, who developed the safe room some years ago and has been tested by them on many occasions, one of which I was privileged to watch. | |
| What else do you think we should know about your shelter? | ||