Storing Food in Storm Shelter

[JUSTIFIED]

We've got a nice concrete storm shelter that stays dry.

Question: We've got some buckets of mylar packed food and 30 year canned goods from the cannery. Would it be ok to store it in the storm shelter or would there be danger of compromise since there is a bit more moisture in the air?

[Matt In Oklahoma]

The moisture takes its toll on the cans. The buckets seem to fair ok for the short time i've been doing buckets so maybe one of these more experienced ones will chime in. I have mixed feelings on the storm shelter because of floods n critters.
I would suggest that maybe the buckets go in and the cans stay elsewhere, kinda a eggs in one basket deal, dunno, just my 2 cents

[JUSTIFIED]

The moisture takes its toll on the cans. The buckets seem to fair ok for the short time i've been doing buckets so maybe one of these more experienced ones will chime in. I have mixed feelings on the storm shelter because of floods n critters.
I would suggest that maybe the buckets go in and the cans stay elsewhere, kinda a eggs in one basket deal, dunno, just my 2 cents

Kinda what I was thinking Matt but the wife wants all the food in one place. My reason for storing them there is in case of tornados and I thought it'd be safer under lock and key from zombies but that's what insurance is for so I will probably opt for keeping the Queen happy and bring the buckets back in the house and store with the cans.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

This is one answer https://www.survivalandpreparednessf...n-Pelican-Case

well if your gonna have eggs in one basket at least have some food n stuff and maybe check these out

https://www.survivalandpreparednessforum.com/showthread.php?1889-Storm-Shelter&highlight=storm+shelter

https://www.survivalandpreparednessforum.com/showthread.php?3714-My-Mothers-Storm-Shelter&highlight=storm+shelter

[Matt In Oklahoma]

This might be an option for the shelter

http://www.amazon.com/Browning-Everdry-Electric-Dehumidifier-164128/dp/B0013RBD5K/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1347494259&sr=1-2&keywords=gun+safe+dehumidifier

[JUSTIFIED]

This might be an option for the shelter
http://www.amazon.com/Browning-Everd...e+dehumidifier

That's a thought Matt. Our shelter is very nice but I'm surprised that it has no electricity. We put some battery powered lights and candles down there.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

That's a thought Matt. Our shelter is very nice but I'm surprised that it has no electricity. We put some battery powered lights and candles down there.

you can always run an extension cord down the air vent, thats how my solar charger is run to the deep cycle

[JUSTIFIED]

you can always run an extension cord down the air vent, thats how my solar charger is run to the deep cycle

Yeah but I hate to have a cord strung across our patio all the time. I'll keep that in mind though when preparing for oncoming severe weather when there's a chance we may be watching episodes of Chopped in the storm cellar! LOL

[Irish-Tech]

Would it be to annoying to bury some conduit and power line? heck maybe even a phone line.

[JUSTIFIED]

Would it be to annoying to bury some conduit and power line? heck maybe even a phone line.

That's a good thought Irish but our shelter is surrounded by a wide expanse of concrete patio and pool. We'll keep plenty of candles, battery powered lanterns and radios down there. There's an outside plug about 10 ft. from the shelter. If we have time I can quickly run an extension to it and down the vent so we can have electric...unless the power is knocked out.

[kappydell]

wipe cans down with a light film of mineral oil to keep them from rusting due to moisture. Without it they will rust in 2-3 years, with it they last longer (haven't found out just how long because I just started doing it myself about 4 years ago).

I would also put the food up on plastic (no rust) shelves, keeping the bottom ones empty if your cellar floods. Add a hand operated bilge pump just in case you end up living there in soggy weather.

My idealized version would be an extra long fallout/storm shelter, with one end closed with a doorway for food storage. My husbands farm relatives did it with their storm cellar back in the cold war days - just built it slightly differently for radiation blocking. For all other folks knew, they had a root cellar like everyone else (thats what they called it).

[JUSTIFIED]

wipe cans down with a light film of mineral oil to keep them from rusting due to moisture. Without it they will rust in 2-3 years, with it they last longer (haven't found out just how long because I just started doing it myself about 4 years ago).

I would also put the food up on plastic (no rust) shelves, keeping the bottom ones empty if your cellar floods. Add a hand operated bilge pump just in case you end up living there in soggy weather.

My idealized version would be an extra long fallout/storm shelter, with one end closed with a doorway for food storage. My husbands farm relatives did it with their storm cellar back in the cold war days - just built it slightly differently for radiation blocking. For all other folks knew, they had a root cellar like everyone else (thats what they called it).

Good thought about the mineral oil. I think, for now, we'll just keep the cans in the house. If a direct hit from a storm takes them?...we've got insurance. If things get squirrelly in the country?...We will have already moved them to the cellar (under lock and key).

[recon_prepper]

We've got a nice concrete storm shelter that stays dry.

Question: We've got some buckets of mylar packed food and 30 year canned goods from the cannery. Would it be ok to store it in the storm shelter or would there be danger of compromise since there is a bit more moisture in the air?

thats the best place to pack them. Buckets in mylar the moisture wouldnt effect them. unless you have a leak in your mylar????? Dark cool place is the best place to store food.

[Boyd]

Good thought about the mineral oil. I think, for now, we'll just keep the cans in the house. If a direct hit from a storm takes them?...we've got insurance. If things get squirrelly in the country?...We will have already moved them to the cellar (under lock and key).

My grandpa told me of using parafin wax in boiling water to coat tin cans back in the day to store them for a long time. Not sure if that would work with what we have 80 years later though..

[JUSTIFIED]

thats the best place to pack them. Buckets in mylar the moisture wouldnt effect them. unless you have a leak in your mylar????? Dark cool place is the best place to store food.

Yeah. That's what I figured too recon but thought I'd ask you guys with more experience. I'd rather have them down there for security and weather reasons. I live in tornado alley.