Are Manufactured Homes More Vulnerable To Damage From Tornadoes And Hurricanes?
While many like to joke that “mobile homes attract tornadoes,” there is no meteorological or scientific basis to thinking that that theory. In fact, the explanation for the reports of damage to manufactured homes from tornadoes is quite simple: manufactured housing is largely found in rural and suburban areas where tornadoes are most likely to occur. As to hurricanes, valuable lessons were learned from the devastation of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which destroyed or damaged thousands of site built and manufactured homes. Now, in areas prone to hurricane-force winds, the standards for manufactured homes are equivalent to or more stringent than the current regional and national building codes for site built homes in these high wind zones. Also, proper installation and anchoring of the home is a key element is how a manufactured home will perform in severe weather situations.
