What happens when you have too much time............

[dprimm]

Couple of thoughts on the port covers. First, LOVE the idea.

Instead of plastic zip-tie, you might consider a piece of wire. Not just any wire, but one that is designed to melt at a definite temperature. Like is supposed to be in sprinkler systems. This way you have the strength of metal and a definite "activation point." I would have to do some serious digging to look up what you would need -- an enginerd here would be faster.

Any thought of a spring to help them close? Esp with the air blowing out? Or a couple of magnets (specifically thinking of a couple out of old hard drives -- STRONG and thin) to help it close and stay closed.

How are the two ports related to each other in the room? Are the straight across from each other? Or different heights? If they are at the same height, you might want to figure out a way to move the air around inside the room to prevent a stagnant layer forming below them. I would not want to run a duct inside to the floor from the intake one -- but a small, slow moving fan would be enough to circulate everything inside.

Next bit: what are you doing for lighting inside? Are you connecting the systems to the outside world?

Man, what a fun project!

 

[CHCRandy]

About 14'x18' room. 12" steel reinforced walls, roof will be steel bridge decking with 7 1/2" of steel reinforced concrete. Floor will be 4" higher then the rest of the basement floor. Have 8" steel ventilation ports that will have duct fans on the inside and fire doors on the outside that will close in case of a fire. The door is a Mosler door, made in 1909. It came out of a bank in Macon MO. I restored it and still have the details like pinstriping and lettering. The frame is welded down to a steel insert in the footer, and poured in place with the concrete solid 8" deep in the chanal all the way around the frame. This whole thing will add less $$ to my mortgage, then what an insurance policy would cost on my guns. This way, I get something for my money, and I get to keep my guns, and whatever else I want to put in there. Its a no brainer.

I know this is crazy to ask you, because you seem to have thought about everything, but the room that will be above this safe room...is it a bedroom or something that will never need plumbing or other access?

 

[Stang51d]

Couple of thoughts on the port covers. First, LOVE the idea.

Instead of plastic zip-tie, you might consider a piece of wire. Not just any wire, but one that is designed to melt at a definite temperature. Like is supposed to be in sprinkler systems. This way you have the strength of metal and a definite "activation point." I would have to do some serious digging to look up what you would need -- an enginerd here would be faster.

Any thought of a spring to help them close? Esp with the air blowing out? Or a couple of magnets (specifically thinking of a couple out of old hard drives -- STRONG and thin) to help it close and stay closed.

How are the two ports related to each other in the room? Are the straight across from each other? Or different heights? If they are at the same height, you might want to figure out a way to move the air around inside the room to prevent a stagnant layer forming below them. I would not want to run a duct inside to the floor from the intake one -- but a small, slow moving fan would be enough to circulate everything inside.

Next bit: what are you doing for lighting inside? Are you connecting the systems to the outside world?

Man, what a fun project!

I had planed originally to make my own link out of cero-safe
, but its hard to explain that to some. They make fuseable links as well. Fire protection companies have them.

I have put a weight on the outside of the door to hold it closed. It closed of before that, should be better now. Also, the fans will move some air, but they will not make much pressure. The ports can be seen in the pic. they are on opposing corners near the top. If it becomes an issue, ill just add a ceiling fan.

The lighting is still kind of up in the air. I think I want two types, good florescent style led lights for when my ageing ass is trying to see something in there, and on a separate switch, a couple of Edison bulbs to provide a dim, warm glow when a lot of light is not needed.

 

[Stang51d]

I know this is crazy to ask you, because you seem to have thought about everything, but the room that will be above this safe room...is it a bedroom or something that will never need plumbing or other access?

2 bedrooms will be above it. Nothing there to worry about, but there will be ductwork for the bedrooms to think about. So, looking at the pic, the wall to the left is located not right under the bedroom wall, but just under the one room, this leaves room to run a duct up through the wall and supply both rooms from over head. The wall to the right runs along with the center of the house, and is load bearing for that part.

 

[JettaKnight]

I'm using one of these for my vent. It's not steel, but does seal up when heated.

https://www.architecturaldepot.com/VFS414S.html?id=1665

 

[Stang51d]

I'm using one of these for my vent. It's not steel, but does seal up when heated.

https://www.architecturaldepot.com/VFS414S.html?id=1665

Thats pretty cool right there.

 

[natdscott]

I think I'd put some form of dedicated hard-line comms in there.

**** happens, and vaults are pretty hard to get OUT of as well.