Storm Shelters and Safe Rooms in Cottondale, AL

Cottondale is an unincorporated community in Tuscaloosa County, ZIP code 35453, east of the University of Alabama and Tuscaloosa. It began as a cotton mill town in the 1870s and today is a commuter community for people working at the university, in Tuscaloosa and at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance to the east. If you live in Cottondale and want a storm shelter or safe room, call (205) 346-8680 and we will connect you with an independent installer who serves east Tuscaloosa County. Tuscaloosa Storm Shelters is a referral service operated by Recover Profits Now. We do not build, sell or install shelters; the independent installer you are connected with quotes and does the work.

Cottondale's layout and what it means for shelters

Cottondale stretches along University Boulevard (US 11), its main commercial road, with I-20/59 along the southern edge and Highway 216 (the Old Birmingham Highway) on the eastern side near Hurricane Creek Park. Real estate guides describe several distinct kinds of housing, and each points toward a different kind of shelter:

• The older core along University Boulevard. Ranch and split-level homes from the 1960s and 1970s on quarter- to half-acre lots with mature trees. Big trees mean roots and limited equipment access; an above-ground unit in the carport or a closet retrofit may be easier than digging.
• Summerfield. A larger 1970s subdivision of traditional brick homes south of Hurricane Creek. Many of these homes suit an interior closet safe room or an above-ground unit.
• Newer subdivisions. Homes built in the 1980s, 1990s and since, many with attached two-car garages on slab, which are natural candidates for garage floor shelters or bolted above-ground safe rooms.
• Acreage on the outskirts. Larger tracts with older homes or new builds. Space is not a problem, so in-ground shelters are common, but the shelter should be close enough to reach in a minute or less.
• Condos. Condo owners usually need their association's approval for any shelter, and a shared shelter for residents is a conversation for the board.

Hurricane Creek and drainage

Hurricane Creek runs through the Cottondale area, and low ground near it and its tributaries can stay wet after heavy rain. An installer should check slope and drainage before recommending a buried shelter. On a low lot, an above-ground unit avoids the problem. On wooded lots, ask how the installer will get an excavator or delivery truck to the spot without damaging trees, septic lines or the driveway.

Tornado risk east of Tuscaloosa

Cottondale sits between Tuscaloosa and the communities hit hardest on April 27, 2011. The National Weather Service track shows the EF-4 moving through Alberta City and into Holt, just next to Cottondale, on its way toward Birmingham. Tornado warnings here can come with little lead time, and the December 2000 Tuscaloosa tornado struck in the early afternoon. For families who commute to Tuscaloosa, the university or Vance and come and go at all hours, a shelter at home that everyone can reach without going outside, like a garage floor or above-ground unit, is a popular choice.

Permits, money and registration

Because Cottondale is unincorporated, your installer should confirm with Tuscaloosa County what is required for a shelter at your address. Tuscaloosa County EMA says government funding for individual shelters is not available in the county. The Alabama storm shelter tax credit may help owners of a primary residence, but its statewide cap can run out; see our tax credit page. After installation, register the shelter with Tuscaloosa County EMA. Call (205) 346-8680 to get connected with an installer serving Cottondale.

Services available in Cottondale

• Community & Business Shelters in Cottondale
• In-Home & Closet Safe Rooms in Cottondale
• Above-Ground Steel Safe Rooms in Cottondale
• Underground Storm Shelters in Cottondale
• Garage Floor Shelters in Cottondale
• Relocation, Removal & Inspection in Cottondale

Frequently asked questions