It was definitely quite the experience. We get tornado watches all the time. But one night I get a text while sleeping a tornado was touched down and to take cover immediately. Headed downstairs and looked out back door and saw all sorts of color lights flashing and the air felt weird. Probably a barometric pressure thing. I never really felt scared. There is really not much else you can do just hope you’re lucky.
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sickening what biden has done to this country.....and now hes causing these natural disasters. LETS GO BRANDONComment -
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Nope....looks like they really did this after all:
Amazon driver was warned she'd be fired
for returning with packages during a tornadoComment -
It's just a warning, lol. Does he not realize tornado warning sirens are not a reminder to be careful, but that a tornado is confirmed on the ground. Also that snippet near the bottom where amazon says the dispatcher said the wrong thing is fucken lying as they would have said the same as he did to the driver. They're just covering their asses and doing a poor job at that.Comment -
Didnt some trucking companies fire a guy for not staying with his truck during a tornado once?Comment -
When are people gonna learn to dig and big square hole under ground in their home and make a basement?
It's not rocket science if you live in tornado alley. Grab a shovel, bag of cement and some plywood and get to work.
Got fall out shelter in a pinch?
Last edited by JIBBBY; 12-22-21, 08:17 AM.Comment -
The people in those factories were in the shelter of those buildings. You need a shelter IN the basement, aka below it, to survive a direct hit from a high-end ef5 tornado. That thing will lift your house into the air 20,000+ feet and suck you out of the basement. Now keep in mind I said direct hit, that means the tornado literally hitting you dead on. If it's just down the street then a basement should be enough.Comment -
I suppose. An underground cement bunker with a steel locked closing door will sustain a direct impact though.
Can even go cheap and bury a storage container in your back yard and that is like a 4 sided steel bunker under ground that will sustain the tornado/hurricane impact also...
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Yeah what I'm reading is that using nails on the house is crap compared to bolts in regards to keeping the house together at the foundation if it hits you head on. That bunker is probably safe though. The only scary thing would be the trek from your backyard door to the entrance of it during a tornado. Most people look outside and are too scared to run for 5 seconds during the mayhem, lol.I suppose. An underground cement bunker with a steel locked closing door will sustain a direct impact though.
Can even go cheap and bury a storage container in your back yard and that is like a 4 sided steel bunker under ground that will sustain the tornado/hurricane impact also...
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In Texas they would throw your ass in jail for that. No house in Texas has a basement. Has to do with the sediment.Comment -
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Just the facts ma'am...
1. THERE’S NO INCENTIVE FOR DIGGING UNDER THE FROST LINE
Building regulations in most states in the US require that home foundations are built below the frost line.
The frost line is the section of the soil that does not freeze during the winter season.
In most northern states, builders must dig deep enough to get a home’s foundation and pipes below the frost line to prevent them from freezing during winter.
In Texas and other southern states, the frost line is usually non-existent or shallow, only a foot below the soil’s surface. While this means that it technically would be easier to build out a basement in Texas, most home developers choose to avoid doing so to avoid the added trouble and expense (more on this later).
2. TEXAS HAS A HIGH WATER TABLE
If you are familiar with geography and geology, the top layer of the soil that is permanently covered with water is known as the water table. And, with much of Texas having large bodies of water and being near the Gulf, the water table is very close to the surface. For instance, in areas such as Austin and Houston, you can strike the water table or find water just within 7 to 10 feet down.
So, constructing a basement close to or below the water table in Texas is similar to building an underground well that is more likely to flood during heavy rains or hurricane season. With that said, no basement is better than a flood disaster waiting to happen.
3. THERE’S A HIGH CLAY CONTENT IN THE SOIL
Historically, most of Texas was initially under the Gulf of Mexico, but as the water receded, the eastern parts of the state were left with expansive clay soil. While it is possible to build a basement on clay soil up north, the type of clay soil in the Texas area is easily susceptible to shifting and flexing during the rainy season.
Due to the high clay content in the state, the soil surface beneath and around the foundation of homes can expand up to 30 percent when wet. They also exert up to 15,000 pounds of pressure per square foot.
The combination of the flexibility of the clay and its increased pressure during times of rain make it quite risky for building a basement in.
4. IT’S DIFFICULT TO DIG IN LIMESTONE BEDROCK
If you move from the high water table of the East to the West of Texas, you will discover a high concentration of limestone bedrock in the area. Although limestone is softer and easier to crush unlike other rocks, it is still considered a rock that is difficult to dig through by most builders in Texas.
While several new construction projects in Austin’s upscale areas boast of basements, the cost of blasting, drilling, and excavating rock is very expensive for the average Texan with a limited income. Digging through rocks to build a basement will always be more expensive when compared to digging through dirt for the average potential homeowner working with a limited budget.
5. IT COMES WITH A HIGH ADDITIONAL COST
While it is currently easy for home builders to circumvent around the previous four reasons to build out a basement in Texas homes, another big reason why there are fewer basements, in general, is due to the high cost.
In fact, in the state of Texas, the average cost per square foot when building a finished basement is around $30-$100 per square foot. You are likely to spend $30,000 to $100,000 to build a 1,000 square foot basement in Texas
This number is usually high due to the costs of excavation, building walls, waterproofing, flooring, and conditioning the space.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With the constant improvement in building technology and engineering, home builders in Texas are now able to construct basements in several areas where it was once considered impossible. However, if you are planning to build a home with a basement, you should discuss your decision with your builder to find out the physical and financial costs associated with building one makes sense for you.
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Last edited by 19th Hole; 12-23-21, 05:17 PM.Comment -
^^ How about digging up a 12' by 12 by 12" square hole in your back yard if you live in a State with basement regulations? Line it cement and rebar. Metal door with lock. Fall out shelter. That will do the trick.
That can't be against the law in any State to build a little bunker in your back yard. City officials don't even have to know about it to be honest if you make it stealthy.
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cement and rebar a bad idea
Just call a local place that prefabs em and welds em. They'll come out, dig the hole, drop the welded, stainless steel unit in place, and cover it. Probably just as cheap and way safer.
The cement/rebar degrade significantly over a decade or two. Tree roots cause cracks in the cement and when it rains, the fraidy hole takes on quite a bit of waterComment
