Manafactured Homes

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Permalink Reply by Brent Sanger on July 2, 2009 at 3:02pm

By manufactured homes are you referring to modular homes or mobile homes? Each has similar problems, but mobile homes have more. Mobile homes, by design, are lightweight. They generally use 1/4" sheetrock throughout, unless the homeowner upgraded the sheetrock after placement. Most lumber is smaller than dimensional because of weight issues. After all the home has to be put on wheels and moved to it's final site. The wiring is as light as possible, but meets proper codes. Generally speaking, mobile homes do not last long when exposed to fire, unless caught in the incipient stage.

Modular homes can be built more like the homes we see today. They also use lightweight construction throughout, but they use more proper sized lumber and sheetrock thicknesses because they are moves in sections, generally 1 or 2 rooms at a time, and assembled like a puzzle at the construction site. This makes for a more traditional looking house, and has all the same features as a stick-built home.

Hope this helps.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Stacy on July 2, 2009 at 3:10pm

I'm referring to neither modular or mobile. The true definition of a manfactured home is a home that is built off site but delivered fully assembled. Besides that, the other big difference is that manafactured homes are regulated by the federal government, while modular homes are local and state regulated. I understand the construction characterstic of such homes, really just looking for opinions and experiences pertaining to fire behavior in such structures.

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Permalink Reply by Adam Miceli on July 2, 2009 at 5:36pm

One frustrating point of manufacturered homes, at least in our state, is the fact that they do not have to meet local code requirements as they meet a federal standard. This of course currently means no sprinklers in compliance with the last two editions of NFPA 101.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Stacy on July 3, 2009 at 1:49pm

thanks adam

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Permalink Reply by Shawn Tibbitts on July 4, 2009 at 10:56am

I was shocked recently looking at a modular home after a fire. Behind the sheet rock their was no insulation small studs that had tyvex attached to it and then the vinyl siding. I couldn't believe their wasn't any plywood or anything between the studs and siding especially in the northeast with nice cold winters. I think I defined the home as modular corectly it was one of the houses thats built in two sections brought in on trailors and assembled on site or is that a double wide? Regardless their garbage and a death trap.
Good luck on your paper.

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Permalink Reply by Adam Miceli on July 4, 2009 at 4:47pm

Shawn Tibbitts said:

I was shocked recently looking at a modular home after a fire. Behind the sheet rock their was no insulation small studs that had tyvex attached to it and then the vinyl siding. I couldn't believe their wasn't any plywood or anything between the studs and siding especially in the northeast with nice cold winters. I think I defined the home as modular corectly it was one of the houses thats built in two sections brought in on trailors and assembled on site or is that a double wide? Regardless their garbage and a death trap.
Good luck on your paper.

I've also seen nearly the opposite where these modulars come through with plywood behind interior wall sheetrock for trailering without cracking. This could be an issue if you expect to pull a through the wall maneuver.
On the lack of exterior sheathing, this seems to be a common new energy efficiency thing. Many building text speak of leaving out wood sheathing which is a poor insulator in favor of using foam board and fiber glass, the walls get lateral strength from on piece of 4x8 plywood at the corner or a let-in strapping brace running from the sill plate to the top plate at a 45degree angle. Most of these ideas are made to be more efficient and cheaper, but almost all create more combustible void spaces with more fuel for when the oxygen gets to them.

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