MANUFACTURED HOMES • January 5, 2015

Are Manufactured Homes More Vulnerable to Damage From Tornadoes and Hurricanes?

Are Manufactured Homes More Vulnerable to Damage From Tornadoes and Hurricanes? Image
Hurricanes and tornadoes can deliver pretty high wind speeds. They are often erratic in nature, and wind speeds can increase in just an instant. Storms of this magnitude often make homeowners question whether their home could survive. Some homeowners with site-built homes may believe they are not as vulnerable as folks that live in a manufactured home. However, the truth is that any home can sustain damage. Learn how new stringent changes in home codes offer more protection to factory-built homes.
Hurricane Andrew
Every one of us got a wake-up call when Hurricane Andrew hit the Gulf in 1992. This Category 4 storm struck with winds of 150 mph. Thousands of homeowners lost their homes or suffered extreme damage.
The ensuing chaos and the loss of life were unbelievable. However, it did make us re-evaluate home codes for factory-made homes.
Code Regulations
After seeing the devastation from Hurricane Andrew, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued several revisions for wind safety in 1994. The new standards require a manufactured home in Wind Zone II to resist wind speeds of 100 mph, and homes in Wind Zone III must resist speeds to 110 mph. Windstorm provisions also require proper anchoring and installation using manufacturer’s instructions.
Prior to 1994, wind standards for safety were designed to protect against wind speeds up to 70 mph, so new HUD standards did significantly improve the amount of protection for a manufactured home. However, many tornadoes still exceed the current wind standards. Unfortunately, all types of homes are vulnerable when it comes to high winds produced by tornadoes or hurricanes, so it is best to take as many safety precautions as possible.