Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet
Proper anchoring saves many manufactured homes in violent storms, inspectors find

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 13, 2006) - Proper installation and anchoring of manufactured housing frequently means the difference between limited damage and heavy damage or outright destruction in violent storms, state inspectors have found.

Inspectors from the Kentucky Office of Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC) routinely examine damaged manufactured homes following a weather disaster - most recently the tornado that struck Radcliff in Hardin County on Jan. 2.

"Homes that were properly installed according to state guidelines were found to have received only minimal damage, while improperly installed homes suffered greater destruction," said Harry Rucker, chief of the Manufactured Housing Section of HBC.

Kentucky has incorporated guidelines from the American National Standards Institute that address anchoring and stabilizing standards designed to keep a home in place during inclement weather.

More than 11,000 new manufactured housing units are sold each year in Kentucky. State law requires each to bear a seal of acceptability indicating that certain standards have been met for design and safety.

Rucker urges those considering a purchase of a manufactured home to look for this seal and seek the assistance of a certified installer. The seal must be prominently located opposite the hitch end on a new home and beside the door on a used home. Retailers can provide customers with a list of local installers.

Owners who are unsure about their homes may call the Manufactured Housing Section at (502) 573-1795. HBC is an agency of the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet.

Rucker emphasized that no home will survive every conceivable form of violent weather - especially a direct hit from a tornado - and that residents should seek shelter in a secure location during severe weather conditions.