Dupont Stormroom FAQs

There are eleven standard sizes. In addition, the StormRoom™ can be custom-sized within certain engineering parameters.
Standard Sizes

The inside and outside surface of the walls/ceiling are plywood and are connected together with specially designed steel components, and this is what you will see when it is first installed. The room can be finished out with drywall, lights and wiring, plumbing, and heat and air. If you desire to have it finished out, it can look like any other room in your house. It can function as a room of your home, such as a closet, bathroom, laundry room, pantry, office, or any other windowless room.

Kevlar® is an aramid fiber made by the DuPont™ Corporation. Invented in the 1960’s, it is used in hundreds of different products. Pound-for-pound, Kevlar® is five times stronger than steel. The Kevlar® in the DuPont™ StormRoom™ is found behind the outside layer of plywood. It helps stop debris from passing through the walls.

No, the DuPont™ StormRoom™ with Kevlar® does not have an expiration date. This misconception comes from the fact that police vests have a suggested “replace by” date. Unlike a police vest, the Kevlar® in the StormRoom™ is not exposed to UV rays, friction from movement, rain, sweat, chemical contamination, etc. Your DuPont™ StormRoom™ with Kevlar® will last the life of the building in which it is located.

The door is designed to meet FEMA and ICC-500 standards. It is made of steel and is faced with a “skin” that allows it to blend in with the other doors in your home. The single-lever handle functions six one-inch diameter dead-bolts that latch securely into the steel door frame. The door opens to the inside of the DuPont™ StormRoom™ so that you will be able to open the door even if there is debris piled up against the outside of the shelter. There is an option of a lockable key-code door which allows the room to double as a safe place for storage of valuables.

We have had four of our shelters in the direct path of two different EF-5 tornadoes, two in Joplin, Missouri, and two in Piedmont, Oklahoma. All four had people inside during the tornadoes. There were no injuries to the occupants of the shelter in spite of the homes being destroyed, and all were able to easily exit the shelter on their own.

The DuPont™ StormRoom™ is the only storm shelter on the market that uses DuPont™ Kevlar®. Unlike steel or concrete, Kevlar® does not interfere with radio, cell phone, Wi-Fi, or TV signals. The DuPont™ StormRoom™ offers an ease of finish-out and seamless integration into the home that can’t be matched by steel or concrete. Because the StormRoom™ is a panelized system it can be retro-fitted into existing homes. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it is designed by the DuPont™ Corporation, so you can have complete confidence and trust that it will protect you and your family in the worst of storms.

Above-ground shelters have many advantages over below-ground:

First, is the advantage of easy entry. There are many people who are physically incapable of climbing down steps or stairs to get below ground. Getting small children and pets into a below-ground shelter can also be a problem.

Second, is the advantage of easy exit. Our door opens inward so that you will not become entrapped by debris piled up outside the shelter. Below ground shelter doors can be impossible to open from the inside if debris has fallen on the door.

Third, is the advantage of location. An in-home shelter allows you to quickly get in a safe place, without having to go outside in the storm. This can mean the difference in survival, as there is often only minutes from the time the warning is sounded until the tornado is on the ground.

Fourth, is the advantage of communication. You will still have cell phone signal, radio signal, etc., inside the DuPont™ StormRoom™, allowing you to stay in touch with family and to know when it is safe to exit.

Often, people won’t go into their below-ground shelter unless they think a tornado is imminent. With the easy, in-home access of the DuPont™ StormRoom™ with Kevlar®, you will be more likely to heed the warnings and go into the shelter.

If you have a shelter that is so unpleasant, difficult, or uncomfortable that you hesitate to go into it unless you think a tornado is about to hit, you have the wrong shelter.

The DuPont™ StormRoom™ with Kevlar® is only installed by certified installers who have been thoroughly trained in the proper techniques for anchoring of the shelter to your slab foundation. The attachment of the shelter to the slab is the most critical part of any above-ground shelter. We believe that this single step is so important that we will not allow anyone who has not been trained to install our shelter. Yes, this sometimes loses us some sales, but we would rather lose sales than lose lives in an improperly anchored shelter.

Janacek Remodeling is an authorized installer and we can personally advise you about what size of StormRoom™ you need, where to locate it, etc., and can give you exact price quotes. Costs such as shipping, local taxes, and labor costs vary from area to area, but as a general rule, the DuPont™ StormRoom™ starts at around $6,000 for the smallest size.