Tornado shelter material made locally

A building material could be of interest to people who are considering a tornado shelter in the wake of the recent Oklahoma tornadoes.

The Tegrant Corporation on Garden of the Gods Road makes ICF — insulated concrete form. Tegrant is one of 13 nationwide manufacturers of the product.

ICF consists of blocks of hollow Styrofoam supported by rebar. When filled with concrete, the blocks form a wall that is resistant to strong winds and fire, said Martine Vogel, a custom home builder for Open Range Construction in Woodland Park.

The material also is so effective at insulating that no additional insulation is needed, she said.

Vogel said ICF has been around for years and doesn’t cost much more than traditional building materials. Yet ICF still hasn’t gained wide acceptance in the construction industry, she said, and that she’s the only builder who uses ICF as standard material.

“It’s really hard to break with what’s known and comfortable,” said Vogel. “The lumber industry, the traditional builder out there, is fighting against it — which I really don’t understand.”

Vogel said at least one home built with ICF withstood the recent F-5 tornado. The material also can be used to strengthen floors and roofs, she said, or to build a “safe house” within a home.

Because tornadoes in Colorado aren’t common, Vogel said she usually doesn’t receive many calls from people who specifically want ICF for tornado shelters. People are more interested in the material’s fire resistant and insulation qualities.

In more tornado-prone areas, the Oklahoma tornadoes have generated such an increase in demand for tornado shelters that manufacturers are weeks behind in filling orders.

For more information about ICF, visit: http://www.rkdzns.com or http://openrangeconstruction.com