Is "your" home safe? That's the big question! First you need to ask the question; Is your home a "Mobile Home" or a "Manufactured Home"? The answer to this question will provide the first level of insight into insuring your home is safe.
Mobile homes were built before June 15, 1976.
After this date they are known as Manufactured Homes.
Even though Manufactured Homes are often larger then Mobile Homes the real difference is in the specific building code they were built to.
Starting June 15, 1976 five changes in the code were implemented related to: smoke detection, making the home fire safe in the water heater and furnace compartments, providing adequate size and location of bedroom windows for evacuation, upgrading the electrical systems including dealing with aluminum wiring, and leak testing the gas line system.
To help insure the safety of your home and answer yes to the question "Is your Mobile Home Safe" you need to consider first, where necessary, upgrading your home to meet these 5 safety standards.
The next set of issues for Manufactured or Mobile Homes concern: the foundation, water damage, electrical and gas systems, and fire Safety.
The first area of concern is the foundation and stability of your home.
The following is of critical importance: 1.
Your home must be placed on properly compacted soil, 2.
Water must be kept from under the home from both external and internal sources, and 3.
The home must be adequately tied-down.
Dealing with these areas, particularly water exposure (preventing damage to wood supports in floors, walls, and ceilings) and tie-downs (keeping your home in place in severe weather conditions) are very important things you must do to make your home safe.
The next important areas of concern are your plumbing and electrical systems.
Proper bonding and grounding, gas line testing, and proper venting need to be checked on a periodic basis to insure proper performance and safety.
An added precaution is to install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace, particularly for older furnaces.
The last major area of concern is fire safely.
Making sure your plumbing and electrical systems are in good order is step one in fire safety.
Additionally you need to insure your home is fire safe, particularly in the kitchen area where over half home fires occur.
Follow good safety practices such as: keeping cooking devises clean, checking smoke detector batteries and providing fire protection devices such as: fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and baking soda where needed.
The best solution to insure the safety of your home is a two step process.
First, follow good safety practices and second to periodically inspect (if you have the proper experience) or have an expert do a periodic inspection of your home.
Homes should be inspected 4-6 months after installation: particularly focused on the tie-down and level of the home.
Homes often settle during the first few months, making the foundation less effective and secure.
An unlevel or poorly secured home can lead to tremendous issues with door and cupboard fit as well as cracking of walls, flooring, and ceiling.
After this initial inspection, unless you see issues earlier, a good rule of thumb is to get your home reinspected every 2-4 years.
This is a great preventative step and will pay for itself over the life of your home.
Finally you must have proper and adequate insurance coverage.
Coverage for Manufactured and Mobile homes in amazingly inexpensive and is your best source for security of your important assets - your home and personal belongings.
Make sure you have someone familiar with Manufactured and Mobile homes insure you have the proper coverage.
There is never any guarantee when it comes to workmanship and Mother Nature but most safely issues can be prevented or minimized with a little foresight and care.
Mobile homes were built before June 15, 1976.
After this date they are known as Manufactured Homes.
Even though Manufactured Homes are often larger then Mobile Homes the real difference is in the specific building code they were built to.
Starting June 15, 1976 five changes in the code were implemented related to: smoke detection, making the home fire safe in the water heater and furnace compartments, providing adequate size and location of bedroom windows for evacuation, upgrading the electrical systems including dealing with aluminum wiring, and leak testing the gas line system.
To help insure the safety of your home and answer yes to the question "Is your Mobile Home Safe" you need to consider first, where necessary, upgrading your home to meet these 5 safety standards.
The next set of issues for Manufactured or Mobile Homes concern: the foundation, water damage, electrical and gas systems, and fire Safety.
The first area of concern is the foundation and stability of your home.
The following is of critical importance: 1.
Your home must be placed on properly compacted soil, 2.
Water must be kept from under the home from both external and internal sources, and 3.
The home must be adequately tied-down.
Dealing with these areas, particularly water exposure (preventing damage to wood supports in floors, walls, and ceilings) and tie-downs (keeping your home in place in severe weather conditions) are very important things you must do to make your home safe.
The next important areas of concern are your plumbing and electrical systems.
Proper bonding and grounding, gas line testing, and proper venting need to be checked on a periodic basis to insure proper performance and safety.
An added precaution is to install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace, particularly for older furnaces.
The last major area of concern is fire safely.
Making sure your plumbing and electrical systems are in good order is step one in fire safety.
Additionally you need to insure your home is fire safe, particularly in the kitchen area where over half home fires occur.
Follow good safety practices such as: keeping cooking devises clean, checking smoke detector batteries and providing fire protection devices such as: fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and baking soda where needed.
The best solution to insure the safety of your home is a two step process.
First, follow good safety practices and second to periodically inspect (if you have the proper experience) or have an expert do a periodic inspection of your home.
Homes should be inspected 4-6 months after installation: particularly focused on the tie-down and level of the home.
Homes often settle during the first few months, making the foundation less effective and secure.
An unlevel or poorly secured home can lead to tremendous issues with door and cupboard fit as well as cracking of walls, flooring, and ceiling.
After this initial inspection, unless you see issues earlier, a good rule of thumb is to get your home reinspected every 2-4 years.
This is a great preventative step and will pay for itself over the life of your home.
Finally you must have proper and adequate insurance coverage.
Coverage for Manufactured and Mobile homes in amazingly inexpensive and is your best source for security of your important assets - your home and personal belongings.
Make sure you have someone familiar with Manufactured and Mobile homes insure you have the proper coverage.
There is never any guarantee when it comes to workmanship and Mother Nature but most safely issues can be prevented or minimized with a little foresight and care.
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