6 Ways Mobile Homes Are Safer Than Ever
Buying any home is a huge investment to make, but many people overlook the option of a mobile home because they fear it isn’t as safe as a stick-built housing option. This isn’t the case, though. A lot of advancements have taken place over the years that make mobile homes one of the safest and affordable housing options on the market. The following guide walks you through a few ways that mobile homes have become safer than ever.
Ground Anchors Keep Mobile Home Secure
When a natural disaster hits, there are often stories on the news of mobile homes being destroyed. This can be due to being blown away in a tornado or being shaken to pieces during an earthquake. Manufacturers have made advancements to secure the roof of the homes to the walls, the walls to the flooring, and used ground anchors to secure the whole unit to the ground.
In order for the anchors to be installed, professionals come in and make a solid foundation for the home out of cinder blocks or concrete. The house is then placed on the foundation and secured with ground ties that keep it in place. The anchors secure the home to the foundation so that high winds and heavy shaking do not cause the home to blow away or collapse.
Many of the mobile homes that are featured on the news are older models that have not been secured with ground anchors or that are built years ago. For many years, the roof, walls, and floor were not all secured together properly, which made them more of a risk during storms. The newer models of today can stand up to the wear and tear of Mother Nature without the same outcome.
Mobile Homes Are Not as Flammable as They Once Were
Many people think that mobile homes are highly flammable and are fearful that their whole life can go up in smoke if they live in one. This isn’t the case, though. Mobile homes are now constructed from fire-resistant materials that allow them to hold up to fire the same way stick-built homes do. The insulation within the homes is fire resistant so that you don’t have to worry about the house going up in flames if a small fire breaks out in the home. The homes also have multiple entryways so that fire personal can get into the homes easily to put out a fire if one does breakout. This betters the chances of everything being able to be saved in the event of a fire.
There is Updated Wiring in Newer Mobile Homes
The wiring that was traditionally used in mobile homes was as inexpensive as manufacturers could get. The wiring was designed to merely provide electricity throughout the home without worry about the dangers that can come if the wires were to become damaged. Advancements have been made to ensure that the wiring in the homes is top-notch and easy to access if anything does happen along the way. Most electricians know how to work on the wiring in mobile homes that are manufactured today because the wiring is so similar to the wiring used in stick-built homes. Much of the wiring is insulated to keep it from being damaged by pests, as well.
Sturdy Windows and Doors Provides Additional Security
The windows and doors that were once added to mobile homes were rather flimsy. People could easily gain access to your home without your knowledge. The windows and doors with newer models of mobile homes are designed to be very durable and more energy-efficient. This means that people cannot easily gain access to your home and that you can lower the costs that you have to pay to heat and cool your home. Many of the exterior doors have deadbolts built into them so that you can have peace of mind by locking your doors with a deadbolt and the knob before leaving your house or going to bed.
Pitched Roofs Add Stability to the Home
Mobile homes are now available with pitched roofs for an additional fee. The pitched roofs not only add curb appeal to the home because they give the appearance of a stick-built home, but they also add stability. Traditional flat roofs allow snow and ice to collect during the winter months. The heavyweight of the snow and ice can cause the roof to collapse and destroy the home. A pitched roof creates a slope for the snow and ice to slide off as it starts to melt so that the heavyweight stays on the roof for a minimal amount of time. The pitched roofs are secured to the home with many different brackets, which also minimizes the chances of the roof blowing off during high winds.
HUD Code Updates Ensure Safety Standards
For many years the construction of mobile homes was not highly regulated. Manufactures built the homes without having anyone monitoring the way that they were built or their safety. HUD code updates have changed all of that. There are no stipulations that must be met and that are highly monitored during the planning, building and set up of mobile homes. This ensures that the homes are created to be as safe as they can be and that the manufacturer cannot make claims that aren’t true regarding the homes. This gives you peace of mind that you are getting what you pay for when buying the home.
Mobile homes are safer than they have ever been. Purchasing a mobile home will cost you a lot less than a stick-built home but still provide you a safe roof over your head that your family needs and deserves. If you are still questioning the safety of a mobile home, go to a mobile home dealer and discuss the safety changes that have been made to the homes. They should be able to show you the new brackets, updated windows and door, and even upgrades in wiring that has been made to make the homes safer for buyers.