Storm shelter needed??

[logguy]

In a LHBA BnP log home, is a storm whelter needed for protection from tornados? My property is in 'Tornado Alley'! Yes, we plan to have a basement, but is the basement even needed for protection from tornados, due to the strength of a LHBA BnP log home? *Is it possible to ensure the roof doesn't get ripped off??

BTW, anyone ever heard of a LHBA BnP home torn apart by a tornado?

Thanks,

John

[StressMan79]

I think this is akin to asking if a home can be made to be earthquake proof. The answer is that no matter what you do, the forces of nature, if focused on any man-made structure, are the proverbial "irresistible force."

This being said, I expect that a BnP log home would fair far better than a stick built home. The rebar and mass of the logs will take a whole lot to tear apart. Your roof is basically a sail, and I don't know what it would take to make sure it could never be lifted off, but I would not count on it.

I would think that a basement under a BnP home would be more than sufficient protection for a tornado. Granted an F5 sitting over your house will still destroy your home and if you are designing for that, you may want to put in a cement room downstairs with 1' wide walls and rebar every foot...and a door borrowed from a bank vault. That would probably outlast even an f5...

-Peter

[logguy]

Peter,

I'm starting not to like you. ;)

--Just kidding--you're just not telling me what I want to hear, which is really exactly what I want to hear, only isn't.

You with me?

OK. I'll start looking for a used bank vault door. ~grumble~

[StressMan79]

heard of a BnP house being destroyed by a tornado. the thing is, the roof is not all that different from stick frames. I suspect that the body of the house would be fine, but the roof would give way. Even with hurricane straps, you will likely not hold it down with an f5 tornado's winds (up to 318 MPH). A category 5 hurricane only has winds over 155.4 mph. that is a huge difference.

anyway, I suppose It could be done with a purlin or two, and hurricane straps on each attach point.

Of course, the Ruskies still have lots of nukes, if you want a real challenge for survivability...

-Peter

[spiralsands]

I've seen tornado damage in Texas destroy a masonry built church. It wasn't an F-5 yet half the building was laying in rubble, the other half looked unscathed.

Frances