Storm Safety for Manufactured Homes

While manufactured homes have their benefits, they’re also susceptible to damage from severe storms and tornados. In fact, about half of all deaths resulting from a tornado each year involve individuals who were inside of a manufactured or mobile home. But if you do your research and prepare for the worst, you can minimize the hazard potential.

Each manufactured home comes with an instruction manual and a data plate identifying the wind and thermal zones that the home was built to withstand. Before purchasing a home, make yourself aware of the wind and thermal zones in the area that you wish to live and buy a home that is built for such conditions. This will reduce the chances of your home blowing or rolling over during storms and extreme weather conditions.
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Once you buy your manufactured home, you must anchor it to the ground according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The metal straps should be inspected annually and any loose bolts connecting them to the steel anchors should be tightened at this time. For additional safety, install your home in an area where rainwater will be diverted away to prevent soil erosion underneath the piers or cinder blocks.

In the event of a tornado or a severe thunderstorm, manufactured homes face many dangers, from trees falling through the home to neighboring mobile homes rolling over the manufactured home. Because of the risk, it’s best to seek shelter in a permanent structure once a tornado watch is issued—do not wait until a tornado warning because it could be too late to get to a safer location.

Buying the right home for your location, routine maintenance and an emergency storm plan all help to ensure your safety so you can enjoy the lifestyle of living in a manufactured home.

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