Question about tornado shelter (Lexington, Mayfield: insurance, buying a house, crawl space)
Lexington areaFayette County
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I have always wondered, given that Tornado has happened in KY many times before, including Fayette County: do people have tornado shelter or underground tornado cellar in their home? Or is that rare?
Most people usually buy homes with basements, especially if they are concerned about Tornadoes.
You are most likely to be hit by a tornado in Kentucky if you live in the Western part of the state.
Even when funnel clouds are spotted here in Lexington, they very rarely ever touch ground and cause damage.
Quote:
Stay calm when nature blows up a storm.
National Weather Service records show Fayette County receives a tornado every 13 years, on average. https://www.bereadylexington.com/tornado/
But, yeah if and when they do hit, they can be deadly. Having a basement can save your life.
Last edited by Crazee Cat Lady; 10-17-2022 at 12:36 AM..
But most (if not all) basements in Lexington are walkout basements, not fully underground basements due to the hard limestone underneath. So there's still a threat of the entry way (basement door to the outside) getting blown open by the hurricane and the wind gets in. Or maybe I'm just over paranoid about this?
We lived in Lexington for 5 years over a decade ago, and are thinking of moving back to Lexington. We never encountered severe weather phenomena while living there, except for a brief earthquake one very early morning that lasted for a few seconds, I think. That and a couple of ice storms that froze our driveway into a solid skating rink.
But after seeing the devastation caused by the big tornado in Mayfield last year, I'm rethinking this decision, or at least, finding ways to minimize life casualty. Does homeowner insurance cover tornado damage?
I don't know very many people who have bought a house with a basement mainly for tornado protection. Don't get me wrong. That's where people go if a tornado is coming, but it's not the main reason for buying a house. I live in Mayfield, where the tornado hit in December. Yes, homeowners covers the damage. And you don't have to report it right after the storm. We found a leak in our house last month, insurance adjuster came and looked at our roof, and the repairs are covered under our insurance. Not fond of the $1000 deductible though. lol Our problem in our house was getting to the basement. My wife has bad back problems and an arthritic hip and couldn't get up and down those steps. So we sat in the hallway away from windows and exterior doors.
There have been underground shelters sold around here more since the tornado. I looked in one a friend had put in his back yard. My problem is claustrophobia. I'd have to think long and hard which would be worse. Being in the middle of a tornado or stuck in that little hole in the ground, sealed up. There are some storm shelters made above ground. I think it's more or less poured concrete covering the shelter. Our church, which was totally destroyed, is planning on having a shelter next to the church.
I don't know very many people who have bought a house with a basement mainly for tornado protection. Don't get me wrong. That's where people go if a tornado is coming, but it's not the main reason for buying a house. I live in Mayfield, where the tornado hit in December. Yes, homeowners covers the damage. And you don't have to report it right after the storm. We found a leak in our house last month, insurance adjuster came and looked at our roof, and the repairs are covered under our insurance. Not fond of the $1000 deductible though. lol Our problem in our house was getting to the basement. My wife has bad back problems and an arthritic hip and couldn't get up and down those steps. So we sat in the hallway away from windows and exterior doors.
There have been underground shelters sold around here more since the tornado. I looked in one a friend had put in his back yard. My problem is claustrophobia. I'd have to think long and hard which would be worse. Being in the middle of a tornado or stuck in that little hole in the ground, sealed up. There are some storm shelters made above ground. I think it's more or less poured concrete covering the shelter. Our church, which was totally destroyed, is planning on having a shelter next to the church.
Yes, that's my husband's issue too. So above ground one may be am option. Or like you said, buy a house with a basement and take shelter in the inner side of the basement.
We are looking to revisit Lexington end of next month or sometime in Dec to visit a former neighbor with whom we still keep in close contact. After living in FL for a few years, we need to experience Lexington's winter again to shock us back into reality and decide whether we can handle the cold.
One thing I thought was funny for years was a concrete company out east of town sold storm shelters they make out of cement septic tanks! Has a door on it and a vent pipe out the top. Guess it would be better than nothing!
We lived in one house that had a big crawl space where I thought we could go if needed. My wife didn't like that idea because if the house was reduced to rubble on top of you, no telling how long it would take for rescuers to find out where you are.
Yes, that's my husband's issue too. So above ground one may be am option. Or like you said, buy a house with a basement and take shelter in the inner side of the basement.
We are looking to revisit Lexington end of next month or sometime in Dec to visit a former neighbor with whom we still keep in close contact. After living in FL for a few years, we need to experience Lexington's winter again to shock us back into reality and decide whether we can handle the cold.
If you have a basement, you could build a safe room/storm shelter in it using appropriate materials like reinforced concrete or better. No need to do it outside. Or buy one ready to go and have it installed in the basement like this one. Think of it as another small room in your house.
@ Kygman: concrete shelter is actually pretty strong and can withstand EF5 if built right, especially if it's made from reinforced concrete.
@ Marino760: yes, I was also looking at putting a safe room in the basement. I've been reading about this and most experienced companies that make these are in Tornado Alley states (OK, AR, for example) and they're made according to FEMA's standard or higher.
We just went through Ian in FL, so I no longer take storms casually like I used to. Definitely a lot to think about.
Marino, a distant cousin of my wife moved from California to Benton a couple years ago. After a tornado hit around the Ky. Lake area she made her husband have one like the one you showed built in their garage. If I was going to have one that big, it would sit there waiting for bad weather. I'd have shelves in there (since it would just be me and my wife and our two dogs hiding in there) and use it as a pantry or something that wouldn't clutter it up too much.
Marino, a distant cousin of my wife moved from California to Benton a couple years ago. After a tornado hit around the Ky. Lake area she made her husband have one like the one you showed built in their garage. If I was going to have one that big, it would sit there waiting for bad weather. I'd have shelves in there (since it would just be me and my wife and our two dogs hiding in there) and use it as a pantry or something that wouldn't clutter it up too much.
Yes, that's what I was thinking too. You could put shelves in it and use it like an emergency pantry. If you ever get stuck down there for a day or so, you can eat and drink. I live in NE KY on the river about half way between Cincinnati and West Virginia and I would consider it, but I don't have the right basement space to do it. My house is built on a steep slope, half basement and half crawl space. The basement part is pretty small, next to the exterior of the house.
I'm in the process of renewing my homeowner's insurance. I'm getting enough coverage so if my house is totaled and I survive, I'll be able to buy an inexpensive house. It would take $400,000 to rebuild it (or so I'm told), so that's not going to happen. My goal is not to become homeless.
Last edited by marino760; 10-17-2022 at 04:48 PM..
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