Things to Consider When Building Storm Shelters Out of Shipping Containers

Securing a safe shelter in preparation for critical situations is the best way to survive dangerous calamities such as storms. The extent and capacity of the features of storm shelters depend on the functions you want to be included and the expected duration of its occupation.

Today, shipping containers are gaining a reputation for having excellent qualities suitable for building storm shelters.

Whether you choose to build above ground, semi-underground, or underground shipping container storm shelters, there are essential features to consider in any case. Here's a guideline you should check out.

Proper Ventilation

Storm shelters are expected to be safely enclosed, but never forget the number one essential thing you need to survive, which is to breathe. Install heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to provide proper air ventilation without exposing you to all types of contaminants. Air filters (HEPA) remove many small particles and some airborne bacteria and viruses. You can use UV light to disinfect the air before it circulates, preferably before turning on the HEPA filter.

All other contaminants require a positive pressure system to keep them out. Positive pressure is achieved when air is blown into a room faster than it can exit. Even with the doors open, the forced air will keep contaminants out. This is the reverse principle of the isolation airlock present in hospitals.

Water and Food Supply

Water is a crucial point. Every survivalist knows it.

Having a source of drinking water and food supply is essential. The critical point in a storm is not knowing how long you're supposed to keep yourself inside the shelter. Of course, these are commonly designed as temporary shelters, but there should be enough food and water that will help you last at least one month. 

Electricity

As you will be inside a shelter that probably has little to no amount of natural light coming in, you'll need electricity to function. It can be reasonably easy to achieve with a generator, but it also involves the storage of fuel and the separate disposal of exhaust gases. 

Electricity makes life in a bunker much more comfortable, especially for cooking and heating, provided you have a sufficient source to power the entire structure.

Waste System

Another essential thing to consider when building shipping container storm shelters is the waste system. Proper disposal of human waste should be incorporated into the features of the bunker to ultimately survive without going out.

Several Exits 

There's no point in finding safety in your survival shelter just to get stuck later. So there should always be more than one way out. In this regard, installing several exit points in the shipping container storm shelter should allow you to feel less constrained and more secure from the calamity. 

Personal Necessities

This is probably the most overlooked feature, but it's almost as necessary as the previous ones. Without a sufficient level of habitability in your bunker, you will go crazy if you had to stay there for an extended period. Mental stability in an extreme situation is essential for long term survival. It is highly important to have comfortable beds, seats, tables, and maybe a few entertainments, such as books, board games, music, etc.

Conclusion

The above considerations represent only a few essential elements to be taken into account when designing and building a shipping container storm shelter.

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How to Insulate Shipping Container Houses

Shipping containers are steadily gaining in popularity as a sustainable housing and sheltering option. With millions of cargo containers being used worldwide, the possibilities for expanding this innovative housing option may well only continue to grow.

Additionally, many real estate experts foresee an increasing synergy between shipping containers as a housing alternative and more traditional prefabricated construction options.

However, one of the biggest challenges that container homes face is finding suitable ways to insulate the material. Fortunately, several insulation options are available to transform shipping containers into pleasant and livable places to live in all kinds of weather!

Uses of Shipping Containers

Shipping containers is one of the most typical solutions for constructing houses, shelters, and building from recycled materials. Who would have suspected one day that this method of shipping, standardized and used throughout the world, would see its use diverted by the construction sector?

This material is reconditioned for multiple purposes. Its uses are practical for a storage warehouse, studio, residential garage, shed, office building, restaurant, cafe, and more. Of course, shipping containers are also used for emergency and disaster relief.

Discover multiple applications and features of shipping container shelter systems. Visit us today!

Insulation Methods For Shipping Container Houses

Shipping container houses are designed from top to bottom in steel, which requires a good dose of insulation given the walls’ thermal peculiarity.

You can insulate a container house in three different ways:

Interior Insulation

If you are attached to the container’s rough industrial look, you should opt for interior insulation. The downside to internal insulation is that if it’s too thick, you’ll lose living space. In general, the thickness of the partition should not exceed 10cm.

Exterior Insulation

This process involves covering the outer side of the container wall. The thickness of the insulating partition will not influence the living area. The insulation also protects the walls against the effects of bad weather. 

Keep in mind that this process could be more expensive than internal insulation because you will have to cover larger sides of the walls using different materials. You can opt for wood, plaster, or even stone to cover up the insulation partitions. This method will allow maximum protection and will eliminate the container effect if you wish.

Cork is often used for its thermal and acoustic insulation qualities. It is a technological insulation foam to maintain a comfortable living environment.

Mixed Insulation

This method insulated the interior and exterior of the container house. Interior insulation can apply to one part of the house, while exterior insulation applies to other sections. This is not necessarily a recommended method because it creates excessive temperature variations and strong instability of thermal bridges.

The Challenges of Insulating Shipping Container Houses

The main challenge in properly insulating a shipping container house is the shallow depth of the walls. While the shipping container’s metal frame is a strong and durable wall material, the lack of thickness poses a challenge for proper insulation.

Before choosing an insulation material for your shipping container, you must first determine how you want to build the walls. If you are connecting a few shipping containers for a multi-container house, adding insulations inside the walls won’t be a problem due to the extra square footage of the house. If you opt for a small container house made of one or two shipping containers, the amount of space will be more critical.

What usually happens with shipping containers converted to tiny houses is an exterior insulation method applied with an added outer coating. You can then choose to leave the interior walls exposed, or you could still cover them with thin insulator plasters.

Different Types of Shipping Container Insulation

Many customers choose to modify their shipping containers by insulating it. Whether you need a temperature-controlled storage environment or set up an office in the shipping container where occupants can stay warm, we guarantee insulation that enhances your container’s heat retaining ability.

There is a variety of insulation options, including urethane foam blasting and custom laminate panel systems. You can even opt for a full range of diverse alternatives just as long as it can suit your budget and purpose.

Basic Insulation

This service involves an economical insulation solution. The materials used are one to two inches of styrene foam and an interior finish of 5/8 inches plywood to insulate the walls, roof, and doors of the container. You can also add on an interior finish wall painting to make it look more aesthetically polished. 

Spray Foam Insulation

One of the easiest and fastest ways to insulate a shipping container house is spray foam insulation. The spray foam insulation method is more advanced, using polyurethane materials that act as a vapor barrier with superior thermal resistance. This insulating material can be sprayed directly onto the interior and exterior walls of a shipping container. Many containers are coated with highly toxic paints to withstand life at sea. Spray foam insulation can trap VOCs that might escape.

Spray type insulators like polyurethane foam work best in combination with ceramic insulation paint. Polyurethane foam is an insulation product in spray foam blown with water. It expands when it hardens and thus protects your shipping container with tiny plastic bubbles that form inside the insulation. While many other types of spray polyurethane foam can give off chemical gases in your home, the small amount of VOCs associated with polyurethane foam insulation will most likely be completely undetectable.

Cotton Insulation

An essential ethic of shipping container houses and sustainable buildings is to reuse materials as much as possible. Today, natural cotton-based insulators are made from recycled, post-consumer denim and cotton from jeans and other used clothing products. Cotton insulation has an R-value of 3.5 per inch, similar to that of more traditional fiberglass insulation. Additionally, commercial denim insulation is usually treated with boric acid, which is a natural flame retardant.

Cork Insulation

Cork insulation is another natural insulation alternative for the Container House. Cork is a renewable and biodegradable resource from trees. Surprisingly, it is not necessary to cut down cork trees to harvest the cork. Tree bark is harvested every nine years. This harvesting process makes the cork “carbon negative” since cork forests capture carbon from the atmosphere.

The acoustic property of cork is another advantage of cork insulation for your Container House. This natural insulating material will form an acoustic buffer between your home and the container’s metal walls. 

Wool Insulation

Sheep wool is another natural insulation alternative made from renewable and raw materials. This high-performance and environmentally friendly insulation alternative has an R-value of 3.5 per inch. Similar to fiberglass, denim, or other types of fibrous insulation. In addition, the lanolin contained in sheep’s wool is a natural flame retardant. This makes it unnecessary to treat wool with other chemical solutions. The hygroscopic fibers of sheep’s wool can absorb up to 35% of its weight in water without affecting thermal performance.

Final Takeaway: What You “Shouldn’t” Do When Insulating Shipping Containers

Do not use conventional insulation methods unless they are corrosion-resistant or do not promote condensation. Most houses are traditionally insulated on the inside with fiberglass or wool. If you apply this concept to container homes, the result may lead to the material’s deterioration or too much condensation inside the walls due to excess moisture, heat, or fumes.

Factors That Affect The Cost of Emergency Medical Tents

Medical tents associate several cost variables that satisfy strict quality assurance, meaning that they should have the right features to cater to the needs of patients and healthcare workers to ensure that the treatments are effectively administered in a safe area. Portable medical tent shelters are most commonly used as testing sites, where medical teams can screen injuries or illnesses that should be isolated. In other cases, these medical units are utilized for emergency relief missions in areas where it might be unknown just how much people are significantly affected by a disaster and require hospital care on-site. 

There are various kinds of medical tents or emergency shelters designed for specific purposes. The medical shelters are chosen depending on the objectives of a health mission. Therefore, the costs could vary depending on certain requirements, such as the size, applications, length of stay in an area, equipment that need to be installed, and more. 

Emergency Medical Tent Shelters: Features

Emergency medical shelters require utmost quality incorporated into all essential factors that will equip the tent units to achieve their purposes.

Here are the features that influence the quality and costs of an emergency medical tent.

Durable Materials

The cost of tents also depends on their durability. Usually, these tents are made up of lightweight aluminum foundations that can withstand pressure over time. For the tent covering, you will often come across polyethylene materials used to manufacture shelters, including those used for medical purposes. These materials are developed to be lighter but just as sturdy as you'll need them to be.

Ultimately, you would expect the medical tent to have the ability to resist harsh weather conditions. 

Many dealers will offer heavy-duty versions of the portable tent, which feature stronger materials and frames. Heavy-duty tents can withstand heavier loads and more rigorous transportation. They are also designed to be more durable when the poles and other connecting components are included in the structure. All heavy-duty tents will have secure footplates and bases, which are included in the assembly and transport kits. Some manufacturers offer footplates with the option of fabric tops or mesh backs for added convenience and durability.

Efficient Design

An efficient medical tent can save countless working hours while increasing the number of patient services through improved patient care. This can be achieved through a well-designed medical tent that can allow for safe, quick, and easy ways to treat patients, resulting in enhanced turnaround time. Additionally, well-designed medical tents reduce or eliminate emergency room boarding and stay cases. This is because the features and applications of efficient medical tents allow for complete treatment measures.

Mobility

One of the most important things to consider when investing in a portable medical tent is the ease with which they are used. A suitable medical tent should be easy to set up and use and easy to transport.

There are two major considerations in terms of ease of use: ease of setup for the medical staff and ease of transportation for the patient. Each of these areas will have different concerns, and there will be additional considerations depending upon the particular type of services provided.

The ease of setup for the medical team involves finding a suitable place for them to set up, which may not be easy given the need for floor space. Some portable medical tents can be easily folded, making them easier to transport to the appropriate location. In addition, other features such as a pop-up window, pop-up doors, or dual windows can make it easier to set up the tent in an area where there is either insufficient or uneven floor space.

In terms of transporting the portable medical tent, finding one that comes with wheels provides ease of transportation and transport. However, finding a set with wheels and a door that can be secured can also help speed up setting the tent up. Some dealers offer custom sizes, which may be useful for companies with more extensive health care or hospital needs or for clients who want to have various sizes to choose from.

Added Applications

Most models of portable tents offer drive-through screening, and most come with a heavy-duty locking door. The screen provides security, as well as privacy, and allows quick access between patient rooms. They are often used in medical settings, where the convenience of fast access is needed between rooms. Portable tents are also ideal for transporting patients to and from the exam room and transporting and moving between different testing environments, such as an operating room or a dental facility. The overall efficiency and usefulness of the portable medical tent cannot be underestimated.

Inflatable Medical Tents: Modern Options

Inflatable versions of emergency medical tents are often used by first responders and medical professionals. These structures are designed to provide temporary protection while also serving a practical purpose.

One of the primary advantages of inflatable units is that they make for a highly portable solution. They can be designed in any way that increases functionality. Moreover, inflatable medical tents can be set up in just a matter of minutes. These tents are not only highly customizable, but they can also come in a wide variety of sizes and applications. This means that the cost of each unit can be tailored to specific purposes.

How Much Is The Average Cost of Emergency Medical Tents?

The factory price for regular-sized emergency medical tents start at around $2,500. These models are quick to deploy shelters with outstanding features and complete specifications.

You can even have them customized according to what they're needed for. Ensure that several essential features are incorporated, such as waterproof, wind-resistant, sun-protective, and fireproof.

Conclusion

Emergency medical tents offer medical workers and patients a unique and comfortable solution to disaster situations and other forms of medical crises. To deliver that, it involves meeting premium qualifications that cost just as much as how you want to customize medical tents and shelters for disaster relief and medical missions. These portable medical treatment units and facilities are highly required to have all the advantages that can provide quality medical care. 

Check out our product line of high-quality and commercial-grade emergency medical shelters. Visit our store here today!