As Daily Business News readers and those who monitor local news know, reports often appear of “mobile home” fires, with related injuries, deaths and property loss. The problem with such reports is that they routinely fail to make the distinction between pre-HUD Code units – property called “mobile homes” – and those which are post-HUD Code which went into effect on June 15, 1976. Those post code factory built homes are properly and legally called “manufactured homes” or manufactured housing.
According to the NFPA report “If all pre-HUD standard manufactured homes were removed from the inventory, the fire death rate per 100,000 occupied manufactured homes would be estimated at 1.9, or well below the range estimated for the rate for other one- or two-family homes.”
Translation, modern manufactured homes are safer than conventional housing.
This should resonate strongly with those who battle local zoning offices over fire safety and the effort by some to impose a mandatory sprinkler standard on manufactured housing. Since manufactured homes are safer to begin with, why should there be more cost mandated? According to the National Association of Home Builders (NHAB), every $1000 in price increase bars some 200,000 potential MH buyers from the market.
The also report found what was described as a disturbingly high rate of smoke alarm removal by occupants of manufactured homes. The survey suggests that smoke alarms rare missing in half (51%) of all manufactured home fires where smoke alarm status was reported. Smoke alarms are required by the HUD Code, so this reflects post original sale practice, rather than some other issue.
Bottom line, the NFPA report is favorable to modern manufactured homes. ##
(Graphic/Photo credit: USDA and NFPA logo)
