Quick Answer:
An inward-swinging storm shelter door can reduce the risk of being blocked inside by debris, but that does not automatically make it safer. Door strength, latching hardware, impact resistance, and usable interior space also matter. The shelters Sprague’s Backhoe installs have outward-swinging steel doors because that is how the manufacturer’s engineer designed the complete shelter system.
One of the most common concerns Sprague’s Backhoe hears about above-ground storm shelters is the outward-swinging door: “What if a tornado piles debris against it and I can’t get out?”
It’s a fair question. An inward-swinging door does have an advantage after a tornado if heavy debris is directly against the entrance. But getting out after the storm is only one part of storm shelter door safety.
Before choosing one design over another, it helps to understand why both exist and what you’re actually trading when you choose an inward or outward door.
Why Some Customers Prefer an Inward-Swinging Door
The appeal of an inward-swinging door is easy to understand. If a tree, wall, vehicle, or other heavy debris lands directly in front of the shelter, an inward door can still open into the shelter.
With an outward-swinging door, enough debris against the entrance could prevent the door from opening until someone removes the obstruction from outside.
For homeowners worried about becoming trapped after a tornado, that can make an inward-swinging door sound like the obvious safer choice. But there are other parts of the design to consider.
What Happens When the Door Is Designed to Open Toward You?
An inward-swinging door is designed to move toward the occupants when it opens. That means the hardware holding the door closed has an important job during the tornado itself.
A properly engineered inward-swinging storm shelter door should be designed to resist tornado wind pressure and debris impacts without being forced inward. The concern isn’t simply which way the door moves. It’s what keeps it securely closed when extreme forces are acting on it.
If you’re considering an inward-swinging shelter because you’re concerned about being trapped, ask the manufacturer or installer another important question: What holds the door closed, and how was that door system designed and tested to keep it from being forced inward?
The Door Hardware Matters
Door swing is easy to notice when you’re shopping for a storm shelter. The hardware holding that door closed deserves just as much attention.
Some storm shelter doors use hardware that looks similar to what you would find on a residential exterior door, including traditional doorknobs and deadbolts. Other designs use heavy-duty interior latching systems specifically incorporated into the storm shelter door.
Don’t assume “inward” or “outward” tells you which door is stronger. Look at the door itself, the hinges, the frame, and especially what is actually keeping that door closed during the storm.
An Inward Door Also Takes Up Space Inside the Shelter
There is another tradeoff that is easy to overlook until you’re actually inside the shelter. An inward-swinging door needs enough clear floor space to open completely.
That area can’t be occupied by people, pets, chairs, coolers, or emergency supplies without potentially interfering with the exit. In a storm shelter, losing several square feet to a door swing can make a noticeable difference.
An outward-swinging door keeps that swing outside the shelter. On the above-ground shelters Sprague’s Backhoe installs, the full interior floor space remains available for occupants and supplies.
Why the Shelters Sprague’s Backhoe Installs Swing Outward
Sprague’s Backhoe does not manufacture storm shelters or choose the direction of the door. The concrete above-ground shelters Sprague’s Backhoe installs are manufactured with outward-swinging steel doors because that is how the manufacturer’s engineer designed the shelter and door system.
What FEMA Says About Storm Shelter Doors
FEMA safe room guidance addresses the performance of tornado safe room doors, including their ability to withstand extreme wind pressures and flying debris. FEMA does not simply require every residential storm shelter door to swing inward.
This is why door direction should not be used by itself to decide whether one shelter is safer than another. The shelters Sprague’s Backhoe installs are designed to meet or exceed FEMA safe room guidelines.
But Could an Outward Door Leave Me Trapped?
Yes, it is possible for tornado debris to block an outward-swinging door. Sprague’s Backhoe would rather be straightforward about that possibility than pretend it cannot happen.
That doesn’t mean an outward-swinging shelter is unsafe. It means post-storm exit is one consideration among several when comparing shelter designs.
Keep a charged phone and basic emergency supplies inside any storm shelter. If heavy debris prevents you from getting out after a tornado, you can contact emergency services, family members, or neighbors for assistance.
During normal use, keep the area immediately outside an outward-swinging shelter door free of storage, equipment, landscaping, and other permanent obstacles.
So, Is Inward or Outward Actually Safer?
There isn’t a useful answer based on door direction alone.
An inward-swinging door has a clear advantage if heavy debris is piled directly against the entrance after a tornado. But it also requires interior clearance, reduces usable floor space, and relies on its door and latching system to prevent tornado forces from pushing the door toward the occupants.
An outward-swinging door preserves the shelter’s interior floor space and can be part of an engineered tornado-resistant door system, but heavy exterior debris could prevent it from opening immediately after the storm.
Instead of choosing a shelter because someone says “inward is safer” or “outward is safer,” ask better questions:
- How was the storm shelter door designed and tested?
- What hardware actually holds the door closed?
- How does the door resist wind pressure and flying debris?
- How much usable interior space is lost to the door swing?
- What happens if debris blocks the entrance after the storm?
Those answers give you a much better picture of the shelter than door direction alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an outward-swinging storm shelter door become blocked by debris?
Yes. Heavy tornado debris directly outside the shelter could prevent an outward-swinging door from opening until the obstruction is removed. This is a legitimate advantage of an inward-swinging design and something homeowners should consider when comparing shelters.
Does that make an inward-swinging storm shelter door safer?
Not automatically. Post-storm exit is only one consideration. The strength of the door, latching hardware, resistance to wind pressure and debris impacts, and overall shelter design also matter.
Can tornado forces push an inward-swinging door open?
A properly engineered inward-swinging storm shelter door should be designed to resist tornado wind pressure and debris impacts without being forced open. If you’re comparing inward-swinging shelters, ask how the door and latching system were designed and tested to resist forces pushing the door toward the interior.
Does an inward-swinging door reduce usable shelter space?
Yes. Enough interior space must remain clear for the door to swing fully open. An outward-swinging door does not require that clearance inside the shelter, so the full interior floor space can remain available for people, pets, and supplies.
Does FEMA require storm shelter doors to swing inward?
No. FEMA safe room guidance addresses how safe room doors and other components perform under extreme wind and debris conditions. Door direction alone does not determine whether a shelter meets FEMA safe room guidelines.
Why do the above-ground shelters Sprague’s Backhoe installs have outward-swinging doors?
The manufacturer’s engineer designed the shelters with outward-swinging steel doors as part of the complete shelter system. Sprague’s Backhoe installs the shelters according to that engineered design rather than changing the direction or construction of the door.
What should I look for when comparing storm shelter doors?
Look past the direction of the swing. Compare the door construction, hinges, latching hardware, usable interior space, debris-blockage considerations, and how the door was designed and tested for tornado conditions.
Key Takeaways
- Concern about being trapped behind an outward-swinging door is legitimate. Heavy tornado debris could block the entrance.
- An inward-swinging door can open when debris is directly outside, but that advantage alone does not make the entire shelter safer.
- Inward-swinging doors require clear floor space inside the shelter and reduce the amount of space available for occupants and supplies.
- Door construction and the hardware holding the door closed are just as important to compare as door direction.
- The above-ground shelters Sprague’s Backhoe installs have outward-swinging doors because that is how the manufacturer’s engineer designed the shelter system.
Comparing above-ground storm shelters in Oklahoma? Learn more about the concrete above-ground storm shelters Sprague’s Backhoe installs statewide, including available sizes and features.
