I'm looking to buy one and just have some questions...
I know structural integrity is different in comparison to an actual house but, how do they do in bad/severe weather? I'm not in an area that has hurricanes but we do get our occasional tornado. In the area I'm looking to move there haven't been any touch-downs so that's a plus. Is there a certain wind velocity that a MF home cannot withstand?
Can you give me some pros & cons of purchasing a MF home?
NOTE: The home I'm looking to buy was built in 1999 if this matters any.
Questions about manufactured homes
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David Oxhandler
- Posts: 1459
- Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 8:37 am
Re: Questions about manufactured homes
The newer the manufactured home the better it was built. The code has been updated over and over again since it first instituted in 1978. Today there is no difference in the construction and the ability of a manufactured home or new site built home to withstand winds. The modern manufactured home here in Florida will stand up to 130 MPH winds.
After Hurricane Andrew I spent some time working in South Florida. We did see a lot of damaged homes, both site built and manufactured. In the areas that were ripped by tornados we saw steel and concrete commercial buildings that were crumbled while the old mobile home set up behind it was left untouched. Any structure that takes a direct hit by a tornado will sustain serious damage.
Below is a reprint of an article from the Florida MH Association that should answer your questions
"Many Americans have been victimized by an outdated conception of manufactured homes—one which has been perpetuated in the news media, and reinforced by the reporting of disasters such as Florida's six-week-long siege of hurricanes in 2004. During this period, a number of erroneous "facts" were spread either by rumor or reporting. In many cases, the news media, rather than searching out the truth, simply passed on the same kind of rumors one hears waiting in line at supermarkets.
For instance, CNN meteorologist Chad Meyers, reporting during the aftermath of Hurricane Charley, told a nationwide audience that "National Guard guys this morning said there are stacks of bodies in that mobile home park in Punta Gorda." Such rumors were rife in the aftermath of Charley. One Punta Gorda resident was quoted by the media as saying "Six hundred people are missing from trailer parks and the bodies are being stored in freezer trucks!"
But passing along rumors is not responsible reporting. IN FACT, according to state officials, in all of Florida, 16 people died as a result of this deadly storm. Only two of these fatalities were related to manufactured homes, and those deaths occured when the residents of a decades-old mobile home ignored an evacuation order.
It was not just the news media which attacked the manufactured home industry in the wake of Charley. Commentators such as fiction writer Carl Hiassen also pur forward much misinformation. Writing in the Miami Herald on August 22, 2004, Hiassen said "There is no such thing as a safe [manufactured] home."
IN FACT, manufactured homes held up well, even when compared to site-built homes. That this was be the case should not really surprise anyone: since 1999, manufactured homes have been built and installed to standards tougher than any but the most recent codes for site-built structures. As required by the federal code, all manufactured homes sold in Florida's coastal counties since 1994 are engineered to withstand sustained winds of 110 mph and 3-second gusts of 130 to 150 mph.
IN FACT, the State Bureau of Mobile Home and RV Construction surveyed 11,800 manufactured homes among 77 parks in seven counties, including hard-hit Charlotte and DeSoto. Of the manufactured homes installed according to Rule 15-C—the most stringent tie-down regulation in the country—the Bureau could not find a single home that had been moved from its foundation. And RADCO, an independent engineering firm, revealed that manufactured homes produced and installed in accordance with the current Federal Standards successfully withstood the effects of Hurricane Charley.
And in the end, responsible reporting did win out: after touring the area, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was quoted by the media as saying, "the new construction standards for manufactured homes are working." Such news organizations as Fox News, CNN, and the Associated Press were finally forced to admit that homes built to the new codes didn't budge an inch in the 145 mph winds recorded at Punta Gorda.
Despite the public misperception and media misinformation, the FACT is that modern manufactured homes, intelligently engineered and well-built, are fully the equal of other building types when it comes to safety and security."
1. Wall Studs: Exterior wall studs are 16" on center of either 2" x 6" or 2" x 4" utilizing high grade lumber.*
2. Roof Trusses: Double roof trusses--three feet from each roof end. Upgrades in both wood size and quality or by using larger truss connector plates and more web members.*
3. Floor Joists: Sturdy 2" x 6" or 2" x 8" floor joists are crafted into every home for additional load requirements.
4. Wall Sheathing: Structural wall sheathing is 3/8-inch thick rated "sheathing" or equivalent, increasing both strength and acoustical properties.*
5. Window Headers: Headers above windows and passage doors insure solid construction, as does this double header.
6. Multiple Headers: Headers above windows and passage doors insure solid construction, as does this double header.
7. Sliding Door Headers: Headers above sliding glass doors add to the structural strength of your home, as does this multiple header and stud treatment.
8. Roof Sheathing: Fastened every 4 or 6 inches on center, depending on where it is located on the roof.
9. Shingle Underlayment: Lap joints and the entire perimeter of the roof are cemented.
10. Fiberglass Shingles: Three-tab fiberglass roof shingles are used for longer-lasting beauty.*
11. Attic Insulation: Batt or blown insulation throughout the entire attic makes cooling and heating less expensive.
12. Wall Insulation: Keeps fuel bills low with money-saving wall insulation on every side.
13. Column Uplift Straps: The center of the home has been strengthened 50%-100% against uplift forces by adding more piers and anchoring devices.
14. Lag Bolts for Strength: Flooring to frame strength is secured with more lag bolts, and the number of anchor straps have been significantly increased.
*These specifications illustrate various ways some manufacturers meet the new requirements.
THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE to factory-constructed homes over site-built homes: precision. The result is a strong, durable, quality-crafted home with easy-care exterior materials. Factory-constructed manufactured homes are built to a tough Federal code. These homes are crafted to rigid standards of fit and finish by skilled workers using all the finest materials, brand-name fixtures appliances.
Solid construction materials and techniques are coupled with many options and floor plans to meet your individual living needs. Huge closets and cabinet space, cathedral ceilings and contemporary kitchens...all the features combine to create the warmth you will love to call home. It's no wonder the value of your factory-built home performs the same as a site-built home in the marketplace.
SOME FACTS
• Every factory-constructed manufactured home sold in Florida not only matches the strength of site-built homes, but actually exceeds them by as much as 25%.
• Factory-built homes manufactured and sold in Florida meet criteria based on the highest wind safety standard of them all, known as ASCE 7-88. Site-built homes must conform only to state or local requirements for strength and wind-resistance.
• The design and construction of all Florida manufactured homes are monitored through HUD and their agent, Housing and Building Technology (HBT), and by the State Bureau of Manufactured Housing Construction, insuring the highest quality and safety standards. You don't get this assurance with any site-built homes.
Lifted from http://www.builtstronger.com/
After Hurricane Andrew I spent some time working in South Florida. We did see a lot of damaged homes, both site built and manufactured. In the areas that were ripped by tornados we saw steel and concrete commercial buildings that were crumbled while the old mobile home set up behind it was left untouched. Any structure that takes a direct hit by a tornado will sustain serious damage.
Below is a reprint of an article from the Florida MH Association that should answer your questions
"Many Americans have been victimized by an outdated conception of manufactured homes—one which has been perpetuated in the news media, and reinforced by the reporting of disasters such as Florida's six-week-long siege of hurricanes in 2004. During this period, a number of erroneous "facts" were spread either by rumor or reporting. In many cases, the news media, rather than searching out the truth, simply passed on the same kind of rumors one hears waiting in line at supermarkets.
For instance, CNN meteorologist Chad Meyers, reporting during the aftermath of Hurricane Charley, told a nationwide audience that "National Guard guys this morning said there are stacks of bodies in that mobile home park in Punta Gorda." Such rumors were rife in the aftermath of Charley. One Punta Gorda resident was quoted by the media as saying "Six hundred people are missing from trailer parks and the bodies are being stored in freezer trucks!"
But passing along rumors is not responsible reporting. IN FACT, according to state officials, in all of Florida, 16 people died as a result of this deadly storm. Only two of these fatalities were related to manufactured homes, and those deaths occured when the residents of a decades-old mobile home ignored an evacuation order.
It was not just the news media which attacked the manufactured home industry in the wake of Charley. Commentators such as fiction writer Carl Hiassen also pur forward much misinformation. Writing in the Miami Herald on August 22, 2004, Hiassen said "There is no such thing as a safe [manufactured] home."
IN FACT, manufactured homes held up well, even when compared to site-built homes. That this was be the case should not really surprise anyone: since 1999, manufactured homes have been built and installed to standards tougher than any but the most recent codes for site-built structures. As required by the federal code, all manufactured homes sold in Florida's coastal counties since 1994 are engineered to withstand sustained winds of 110 mph and 3-second gusts of 130 to 150 mph.
IN FACT, the State Bureau of Mobile Home and RV Construction surveyed 11,800 manufactured homes among 77 parks in seven counties, including hard-hit Charlotte and DeSoto. Of the manufactured homes installed according to Rule 15-C—the most stringent tie-down regulation in the country—the Bureau could not find a single home that had been moved from its foundation. And RADCO, an independent engineering firm, revealed that manufactured homes produced and installed in accordance with the current Federal Standards successfully withstood the effects of Hurricane Charley.
And in the end, responsible reporting did win out: after touring the area, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was quoted by the media as saying, "the new construction standards for manufactured homes are working." Such news organizations as Fox News, CNN, and the Associated Press were finally forced to admit that homes built to the new codes didn't budge an inch in the 145 mph winds recorded at Punta Gorda.
Despite the public misperception and media misinformation, the FACT is that modern manufactured homes, intelligently engineered and well-built, are fully the equal of other building types when it comes to safety and security."
1. Wall Studs: Exterior wall studs are 16" on center of either 2" x 6" or 2" x 4" utilizing high grade lumber.*
2. Roof Trusses: Double roof trusses--three feet from each roof end. Upgrades in both wood size and quality or by using larger truss connector plates and more web members.*
3. Floor Joists: Sturdy 2" x 6" or 2" x 8" floor joists are crafted into every home for additional load requirements.
4. Wall Sheathing: Structural wall sheathing is 3/8-inch thick rated "sheathing" or equivalent, increasing both strength and acoustical properties.*
5. Window Headers: Headers above windows and passage doors insure solid construction, as does this double header.
6. Multiple Headers: Headers above windows and passage doors insure solid construction, as does this double header.
7. Sliding Door Headers: Headers above sliding glass doors add to the structural strength of your home, as does this multiple header and stud treatment.
8. Roof Sheathing: Fastened every 4 or 6 inches on center, depending on where it is located on the roof.
9. Shingle Underlayment: Lap joints and the entire perimeter of the roof are cemented.
10. Fiberglass Shingles: Three-tab fiberglass roof shingles are used for longer-lasting beauty.*
11. Attic Insulation: Batt or blown insulation throughout the entire attic makes cooling and heating less expensive.
12. Wall Insulation: Keeps fuel bills low with money-saving wall insulation on every side.
13. Column Uplift Straps: The center of the home has been strengthened 50%-100% against uplift forces by adding more piers and anchoring devices.
14. Lag Bolts for Strength: Flooring to frame strength is secured with more lag bolts, and the number of anchor straps have been significantly increased.
*These specifications illustrate various ways some manufacturers meet the new requirements.
THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE to factory-constructed homes over site-built homes: precision. The result is a strong, durable, quality-crafted home with easy-care exterior materials. Factory-constructed manufactured homes are built to a tough Federal code. These homes are crafted to rigid standards of fit and finish by skilled workers using all the finest materials, brand-name fixtures appliances.
Solid construction materials and techniques are coupled with many options and floor plans to meet your individual living needs. Huge closets and cabinet space, cathedral ceilings and contemporary kitchens...all the features combine to create the warmth you will love to call home. It's no wonder the value of your factory-built home performs the same as a site-built home in the marketplace.
SOME FACTS
• Every factory-constructed manufactured home sold in Florida not only matches the strength of site-built homes, but actually exceeds them by as much as 25%.
• Factory-built homes manufactured and sold in Florida meet criteria based on the highest wind safety standard of them all, known as ASCE 7-88. Site-built homes must conform only to state or local requirements for strength and wind-resistance.
• The design and construction of all Florida manufactured homes are monitored through HUD and their agent, Housing and Building Technology (HBT), and by the State Bureau of Manufactured Housing Construction, insuring the highest quality and safety standards. You don't get this assurance with any site-built homes.
Lifted from http://www.builtstronger.com/
David Oxhandler
[email protected]
[email protected]
Re: Questions about manufactured homes
I am in Michigan though and we don't have hurricanes. Do they make manufactured homes differently in different areas?
Re: Questions about manufactured homes
Yes, manufactured homes are constructed differently depending on what region they are to be installed in. For example a home manufactured for a coastal areas must have a higher wind zone rating were a home manufacture for a northern climate has snow load requirements and freeze line line requirements. Each state also has there own licensing board for Manufactured Home, Retailers and Installers - please check with your local licensing board before hiring and installer to set your home.
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fredcdobbs
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 10:04 am
Re: Questions about manufactured homes
raaaain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am in Michigan though and we don't have
> hurricanes. Do they make manufactured homes
> differently in different areas?
Yes, There are 3 wind zones that Manufactured homes are built to, zone 1 is for about 90% of the continental US, zone 2 is for most of Florida, and the inner coastal regions of the Atlantic and Gulf states, zone 3 is for the southern tip of Florida and the outer coastal regions of the Atlantic and Gulf states. Zone 2 and 3 homes are built to more stringent wind and uplift requirements than zone 1. All of Hawaii and the costal regions of Alaska are zone 3.
The other different structual zone is Roof load and there are 3 roof load zones, most of the continental US is south zone 20 psf, parts of the northeast , parts of the upper midwest and the Rocky Mountain states are middle zone 30 psf and the upper most section of Maine and all of Alaska is north zone 40 psf.Hawaii is south zone.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am in Michigan though and we don't have
> hurricanes. Do they make manufactured homes
> differently in different areas?
Yes, There are 3 wind zones that Manufactured homes are built to, zone 1 is for about 90% of the continental US, zone 2 is for most of Florida, and the inner coastal regions of the Atlantic and Gulf states, zone 3 is for the southern tip of Florida and the outer coastal regions of the Atlantic and Gulf states. Zone 2 and 3 homes are built to more stringent wind and uplift requirements than zone 1. All of Hawaii and the costal regions of Alaska are zone 3.
The other different structual zone is Roof load and there are 3 roof load zones, most of the continental US is south zone 20 psf, parts of the northeast , parts of the upper midwest and the Rocky Mountain states are middle zone 30 psf and the upper most section of Maine and all of Alaska is north zone 40 psf.Hawaii is south zone.
Re: Questions about manufactured homes
What brand home are you looking at?
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