Pre manufactured homes will need protection from strong winds and no matter where you plan to install these cheap manufactured homes, you will need to use tie downs and anchors to offer stability and protection to the home. This is applicable for new manufactured homes installation also. These anchors and tie downs will help to keep the manufactured home in position at times of high winds.
We know that small manufactured homes are lightweight when compared to the site-built homes. Even the best manufactured homes will have flat ends and sides and will be built on frames rather than on permanent foundations. Besides, most of the pre manufactured homes that you see in the manufactured homes for sale advertisements will be elevated, sitting on top of frames or some pier foundation, meaning that wind can get under these homes to lift them up. Moreover, high winds passing over the top of small manufactured homes can also result in an uplift force.
This is why mobile home manufacturers use tie downs and anchoring systems at the time of construction and when assembling the home to offer you the best manufactured homes that can withstand heavy winds. It might occur to you that not using tie downs will help you in keeping your cheap manufactured home budget small, but you should never do that, as it could gravely affect the safety of the inhabitants.
Two different types of tie downs are used to resist the wind force affecting pre manufactured homes. In older small manufactured homes, mobile home manufacturers used an over-the-top or a vertical tie down to compensate for the uplift force of the air current. They also used a frame or diagonal tie down to compensate for the uplift and diagonal wind forces. If you are planning to buy a singlewide manufactured home from the manufactured homes for sale listings, make sure to check if both these types of tie downs are used, as the best manufactured homes will use both these tie downs. However, doublewide modern manufactured homes will need only the diagonal tie downs.
Choosing the Components of Anchoring System
The type of tie downs used by mobile home manufacturers will depend on the period in which the pre manufactured homes were made. For instance, old manufactured homes will usually have over-the-top tie downs that are exposed. This type of tie down system is an effective one for small manufactured homes, but it could affect the visual appearance and aesthetic appeal of the best manufactured homes.
While checking out old manufactured homes for sale, look for exposed over the top tie downs. If they are present, it means that the home in consideration is an old one. Most of the new manufactured homes, on the contrary, come with concealed tie downs, and this adds to the external appearance and looks of the best manufactured homes. Mobile home manufacturers will place the straps under the metal roof and the exterior siding in case of new manufactured homes, with the end of the straps hanging out, which will not affect the visual appeal of these housing structures.
Some of the new manufactured homes that you will find in manufactured homes for sale ads might not use any type of over the top tie down to secure it. Owing to the improved structural strength of these homes, the manufacturers secure the house using straps that are attached to the frame of the home. These types of straps attached to the frame rails in new manufactured homes are called frame anchors. Doublewide pre manufactured homes also use frame anchors for support.
Anchor Types
You can find many varieties of anchors to be used on different soil types including concrete. Some of the best manufactured homes that are featured on manufactured homes for sale pages use auger anchors as they can be used in both soft and hard soil types. You can also find drive anchors or rock anchors in some of the new manufactured homes, as these anchors helps to attach the home to a coral or a rock base. Mobile home manufacturers may also use steel stakes to pin the anchor to the ground. However, if you are planning to have concrete base for your manufactured home, you will need to install a concrete anchor first.
To make the proper selection of anchors for best manufactured homes, you will have to make an idea about the type of soil where you are planning to install pre manufactured homes. Remember, whatever be the type of anchor that you choose to use in small manufactured homes, you need to follow the installation instructions carefully.
Auger anchors are easy to install and you may find these anchors in many small manufactured homes found in manufactured homes for sale pages. The anchor can be installed by inserting a metal bar through the top portion of the anchor. This will offer added strength to the manufactured home, and it will be better to seek the help of mobile home manufacturers or general contractors for the installation of this type of anchoring system. In addition, make sure that the general contractor does not dig a hole to install the anchors for small manufactured homes.
Hook Up and Tension Components
Tie downs of pre manufactured homes should be connected to the anchors in a way that allows for adjustment of the tension. The tension device to be used in new manufactured homes should be weather resistant and strong to support the load of the home. If the tie down of the home is connected to an anchor with a turnbuckle, you need to ensure that the turnbuckle is of size at least ½ inch and should be made from galvanized steel. Make sure that the turnbuckle used by mobile home manufacturers has welded or forged eyes and not hooks at its end.
Roof Protector
If the pre manufactured home that you have selected from the manufactured homes for sale listing features over-the-top tie downs that are exposed, you need to use roof protectors under the strap at the edge of the roofing. Roof protectors are also called as roof buffers or thimbles of brackets and they can be found in all the new manufactured homes these days. Using roof protectors in small manufactured homes can help the tie down straps from damaging the roof of the home. In addition, these protectors will also prevent the roofing edges from cutting the tie downs straps.
Some mobile home manufacturers may use wooden blocks as roof protectors, but the best manufactured homes only use commercial roof protectors, as they are capable of distributing the overall load and pressure of the tie down cable. In addition, the commercial roof protectors will have more life when compared to the homemade roof protectors. Therefore, you need to check if the pre manufactured homes you chose from manufactured homes for sale pages feature commercial roof protectors.
These are some of the important anchoring components, which you will need to use for the installation of pre manufactured homes. The anchoring components selected for the installation of cheap manufactured homes by mobile home manufacturers should be strong enough to resist at least 3150 pounds of force. The components should also be capable of withstanding fifty percent overload. This rule also applies for the attachment point on small manufactured homes as well.
Take care not to use any anchoring equipment that is not corrosion and weather resistant. In addition, make sure that the exposed over-the-top tie downs are aligned properly with the help of a roof rafter to avoid damages to the roofing of your manufactured home.