Thursday, December 10, 2020

Weather Safety: Plan for a Hurricane

By that statistic, we can see that people are taking an interest in this portable home. One major concern is the fact that mobile home roofs do not have any sheathing or shingles, which makes them susceptible to wind damage and water intrusion during high winds. A building, especially one that is not anchored into the ground would never be able to withstand wind speeds of this magnitude. The category 3 storm took down power lines and left many without electricity for months. Most manufactured homes are not designed to withstand a Category 3 Hurricane. Talk to your insurance company to make sure all items inside your mobile home are covered in the event it might suffer damage during the storm.

mobile home safety in hurricane

In this case, permanent foundations made from concrete will work the best. This can help to keep your house from being flipped or picked up by the tornado. Fill your car's gas tank and check the oil, water and tires.

Ensure Safety Level of the Surroundings

If it’s only a lightning storm without strong winds, you’d be perfectly safe inside a mobile home. Read our general instructions on how to install hurricane shutters panels. Just note that these are for installing panels on a concrete home. We suggest you ask your hurricane shutter company for installation instructions suitable for your mobile home. Unfortunately, there are plenty of older manufactured homes across the U.S. that aren’t properly anchored to the ground to prevent them from rolling over or lifting off.

mobile home safety in hurricane

You'll need a full tank of gas in your car, but NEVER store additional gas in your home or shed. Remember, you may not be able to buy gas during an emergency. If you don't have a car, make other transportation arrangements with relatives, friends, neighbors or your local emergency management office. Before digging the ground and installing the anchor and the tie-downs, mark where electricity, gas, water, sewer, and phone cables are located. A building inspector can help you determine the soil type and advise how deep to install the anchors.

Are Mobile Homes Safe in Hurricane?

All mobile homes must be anchored according to the installation guidelines prescribed by the manufacturer. At MHVillage, we care about the safety and security of manufactured homes just as much as homebuyers do. For more information, check out our essential mobile home security checklist and our list of important things to look for when buying a used manufactured home. Consider having your manufactured home attached to a permanent foundation such as a concrete slab foundation. A permanent foundation will offer your home additional protection against certain hazardous weather conditions such as high winds.

The 2015 National Hurricane Center report estimates that mobile homes are 16% more resistant to strong winds compared with site-built houses. A mobile home is more vulnerable than a regular house, but some people still think they can withstand anything. There are many benefits to living in mobile homes, but residents should be aware of some safety concerns unique to these structures. Over-the-top hurricane tie-downs should be installed in single-wide mobile homes along with frame anchors. Double-wide mobile homes are more stable, so they typically don’t require over-the-top hurricane tie-downs.

Why You Should Increase Safety of Your Mobile Home?

The choice of a hook-up and tension system depends on the type of tie-down you want to install. Position the level in the center of the beam and check the bubble. Continue moving the level and checking the bubble till you reach the end of the main support pier.

mobile home safety in hurricane

In addition to fire safety issues, mobile homes are extremely vulnerable during windstorms such as hurricanes and tornados. They are considered unsafe structures in all categories of hurricanes and in some tropical storms as well. Mobile home hurricane tie-downs secure a home to the ground.

How to prepare your mobile home for the storm

At last count, Florida had about 828,000 mobile homes/manufactured homes. More than 600,000 of them are older mobile homes, meaning they were not built to current hurricane standards. That is critically important when you understand how factory home building standards have changed in recent decades for all homes.

To withstand adverse weather conditions, homeowners can install straps or tie-downs which can help to stabilize the home. Will help ensure that you’re up to speed on manufactured homes storm safety, which is all important during hurricane season. The Manufactured Housing Institute of South Carolina has issued a guide with safety information for South Carolinians who live in manufactured homes. Substantially tougher wind-safety standards went into effect in 1994 after Hurricane Andrew. Federal law requires that a home built and installed after 1994 in the nine South Carolina counties nearest the coast must withstand winds of 100 mph. Homes placed inland must be able to withstand sustained wind gusts of 80 mph.

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And just in case, write them down or save them on your phone so that you have them on hand. Carry anything you can inside and prepare any exterior buildings and structures like sheds. Everyone in the household needs to know where the fire extinguisher is and how to call the fire department. You need to teach your kids about fire safety from a young age. You can take steps to protect your house and other possessions too.

The specific number of straps required will be in the users’ manual! Alternatively, you can obtain the services of a professional, who can advise you of the number of straps and the types of straps that must be bought. If you have an older mobile home, you should install the over-the-top tie-downs. Most newer homes come with pre-installed over-the-top straps.

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