Storm shelters

[raeleigh26]

We love in good Ole tornado alley.... we have an in ground storm shelter. It's about 5 years old, but still has a horrible smell, I think from the sealing chemicals used.
It has been left open many times, but as I am restocking supplies in there, it occurs to me that having my parrot in there might be not detrimental to him than waiting it a storm that probably won't result in our home being destroyed.
You know, since we've actually seen funnel clouds from our porch and we're still standing.
(There was a tornado on the ground between us and "town" a few weeks ago and we only knew once we saw it on fb)
There seems to be no good answer here; either we figure it'll be fine and stay inside...

(we generally don't go out unless it's radar indicated within a few miles, but... once I was home alone and I went out before it hit the fan , rather than running through driving rain and hail. Straight line winds have done more damage here than any tornado.)

... or wait until the last minute, and in any case, Ralphie isn't in a good place.

Thoughts?

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[Littleredbeak]

Can you take a fan and force the air out of the shelter?

 

[Littleredbeak]

Also IQ AIR has an air monitor that tells if you have VOCs present

 

[texsize]

Do you have a air filter wit HEPA filters?

You might try running one down there and see if it helps.

 

[WhiteFlight]

The threat of a tornado is quite severe. The threat of toxic fumes is very concerning. Seems practical to target solutions for the toxic odors for the health of your family including Ralphie and utilize the safety of the cellar when the threat is elevated.
Storm Celler Toxic Odors Search resulted in some possible solutions, however nothing with a direct tie to the title.

Ventilation, filtration and identification listed above are viable. Is the cellar wired?

 

[SailBoat]

I assume that your household did not have the shelter built. As your attention to detail would have caught the fact that it was build without a simple air exchange system.

Great question above regarding electrical service to the shelter as that would allow you to install a forced air (fan) air exchange unit.

Most non-professionally installed units fail to include electrical service and an air exchange system and as a result, the shelter experiences what you are seeing /smelling.

A basic system can be as simple as (depending on size of shelter) 3" to 6" white plastic pipe. Once again, depending on size of shelter there are commonly two pipes, one that enters and goes with in a few inches of the floor and an other that comes a 1/4 of the way down the side wall. NOTE: Code varies widely on placement and specific heights.

An installation that includes a 'fan' commonly pushes air in and is set on the pipe that comes closes to the floor. The goal is to limit toxic build-up low in the shelter.

 

[noodles123]

I'd say you would almost be safer riding it out indoors, unless you are looking at a major tornado like the one that hit Joplin a few years back. Knock on wood, but having grown up in tornado alley, I guess I am just a bit jaded in terms of how often they actually hit. I am not downplaying them, but unless you know it's a bad one, the odds of your house getting destroyed by one seems lower.


Do you have a basement?

 

[SailBoat]

I find that location has much to do with the level of concern one should place regarding the danger of tornados. As a fundamental statement tornado are dangerous and even worst, unpredictable!

In addition, they are different depending on where in North America one lives. On the Great Plains they can be huge and around the central tornado they can have several additional smaller tornado that are rotating around the center tornado. Point being, as you are watching one passing to your North, another could just as well be coming in the opposite direction as it rotates around the central tornado.

Rare event in the mid-upper east coastal area, common on the Great Plains.

If you have the conditions to support tornados, in your area, and have a shelter move to the shelter! Why? Moving a Parrot to a shelter, even if it is in your home will automatically be problematic as the Parrot will sense your emotions and go crazy /nuts in front of you and refuse to do anything except maybe bite you!

Moving ahead of the emergency provides you opportunities that rushing around when all 'heck' is rain down upon you will not!

 

[raeleigh26]

This is what we have. Exactly.
There is ventilation.
But it's concrete.
It came in two parts, top half is glued (for lack of better words) to the bottom. Smelled awful when new, still smells years later.
Like industrial caulking.
We did have it installed.
We didn't have a parrot then.
We live in north east Oklahoma.
It's "try to keep your lips together" windy today.
Tomorrow as well.
Storms and potential for severe weather this week.

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[SailBoat]

Nice unit!
It is using a wind driven venting system. BUT: they appear to effect only the air at the very top of the shelter! Hence, you are only turning over the very upper most air in the shelter.

One of them needs to have a (plastic) pipe added that extends too near the bottom of the shelter. My guess is that there are no codes in your area that defines 'air exchange'!

With a single sheet of tissue place it below the vents inside. One of the two should be bring air in and the other taking it out. It is the vent that brings air in that wants to have the pipe added to it.

What you are describing is a bonding epoxy and one that is high in VOC and likely slow setting. Maximum assurance of sealing, but not very friendly for Humans and a potential serious problem for a Parrot.

Adding a Pipe is an easy DIY project.
I would strongly recommend that you have an electrical service brought to the shelter as adding a powered intake fan will help greatly in making your shelter safe for everyone. Yes, have an enclosed light added!