Is it possible to build a tornado proof/resistant home?

There are increased incidents of tornados across the midwest US and other parts of Canada too.

Is it expensive to retrofit existing home with extra re-enforcement materials?

I don't see why not, but don't ask me how as I'm not a builder. My guess would be either brick, poured concrete walls, or earth berm or dug in, maybe even a Monolithic Dome. Key area would be the roof and making sure it is attached to the walls more securely than in a conventional built home. As far as upgrading an existing structure, I doubt you could do it without a lot of expense even if it's possible. But you could always do like I did and build a shelter in your basement if you have one. I used solid concrete blocks for the walls as well as covering the 3/4 in plywood roof with them. I got the idea and plans for it here.

http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/3060812.j...55A1E4F32AD3138

Haven't had to use it yet, hope I never do but it's there if I need it.



Here is another idea.

http://www.rd.com/images/tfhimport/2000/May00_AskHandy/May00_AskHandy_TornDam_resize2.jpg


Plans for either a storm shelter or a fallout shelter would work.

Possible is a big word. A program manager friend used to say "sure, bring money." An underground home would be my first thought as tornado proof. Also energy efficient, but that's another topic.

But on a more realistic level, I think it depends on the tornado. IMO, an F5 direct hit would flatten almost any home that could be built at a reasonable cost. The forum members in Florida would have better idea, but you can "harden" your home with various upgrades to stand up to high winds (pick a number) and minimize damage. How well those changes would stand up to a tornado is open to question.

Perhaps another idea might be to investigate how much a tornado proof "storm cellar" might cost, and what it would consist of, so you can protect your family. The house can be rebuilt: the family can't.

A dome home might work.

http://static.monolithic.com/disaster_resistance/index.html

Possible? Yeah

Every Nuke containment dome is designed to be tornado proof.

True story:

Way back when, I worked in "environmental testing" - One of the labs I used was involved in testing the doors to the containment structure. This was the scenario. An earthquake hits, and knocks down the tubine/support building, leaving the door exposed to the outside world, then an F-5 tornado hits, picking up a 60 ft electrical pole from the spares kept in the neighboring pole yard, and flings the pole small end first at 300 mph into the weakest spot of the door - the door had to survive

First - how do you design the door (not the labs problem) but esecond - how do you TEST the door design?

Answer - Build a copy of the door, and build a section of containment dome wall with the door in it in the middle of a BIG open field. Build a fairly long "blow gun" out of steel pipe that will fit a 60 ft electrical pole - wrap the pole with rags to make an air tight fit, and get a BIG High Pressure Nitrogen trailer filled with something like 10K PSI nitrogen, and blow the pole out the pipe at such a speed that the pole is in free flight at 300 mph at impact.

I didn't see the test in person, but I did get to see the high speed videos taken of the test. The "bang" was quite impressive. Oh, and the door passed

You think you can build a building that can withstand that? It's not just the 300 MPH winds you have to deal with - it's the very large objects moving 300 MPH you have to deal with

Of course it is possible to build a tornado-resistant house. (A tornado-“proof” house is debatable, kind of like the term, bullet-“proof”.) Just Google for tornado resistant house. You’ll get results that range from dome structures to different forms of concrete homes.

I know companies advertise "safe rooms". Google will bring up a bunch. They're usually a steel box, either steel frame or plate. Or they're built with insulated concrete forms (icf). Lots of good info on the net.

Jason
(Not an expert, just had to learn for a home builders website I'm working on.)

Man oh man, that beats a chicken cannon all to hell!!!

I am not from tornado country, and quite frankly, they scare the hell outta me. It took me forever to get over the almost daily waterspouts I saw coming at me across the Bay of Panama long ago. But I gotta think that building a tornado proof shelter in your basement might well find you trapped in said shelter by what used to be your home. If I had one of those basement things, I would make sure that A LOT of friendly folks knew about it, so they could come dig me out...

Build it below ground with a sturdy door and that is about tornado proof. Underground is good. It takes advantage of the power of dirt. Dirt is cheap, easily available in most locations and it is pretty darn hard to break. You can move it around, in which case you might need to shovel it back into place, but generally it doesn't break.

In the Philippines they built houses into the side of a mountain. Put a concrete veranda peeking out the back of the mountain. Over this they placed a thick concrete slab hung off large chains. When a hurricane approaches they disconnect the chains and allow the slab to slope down to meet the concrete floor of the veranda. this protects the glass doors and back of the house.

When the storm passes they jack the slab back into position and reconnect the chains.