Evacuating from a mobile home

[jusforsean]

We have a mobile home in davie, florida my motto is this If its a 3 or above I take everything I really want and kiss the rest goodbye! During Wilma I saved my self a little by wrapping tv's and everything in bags and putting up so when the roof blew off the rain and debris didnt deystroy it. Next time I will be more prepared, this is our first manufactured home. How about anyone else with a mobile home?

[seaswing]

I would say that a cat 1 could totally destroy your mobile home. It isn't necessarily the hurricane force winds but the tornados that it creates. Mobile homes are not safe in hurricane conditions. I would evacuate but have a decent homeowners policy with hurricane coverage. If you look at the National Hurricane Center website and go to the description of the categories 1-5, it will tell you what type of damage to expect. I think a cat. 2 is described as destroying mobile homes. But again, you can have tornados that can destroy your home before the hurricane force winds get to you.

[MomH]

A lot depends on the age of your mobile. If it is a manufactured home built since 1994, you have a better chance of getting through a small storm especially if it is on a permanent foundation and strapped down. I'm told some homes in Punta Gorda survived for that reason. However, anything older than 1994/5 and not on a permanent foundation, I would leave not matter what size storm. I think most counties in Florida have a requirement that you evacuate mobile homes for a storm.

[Aquawind]

Riding out even a CAT 1 in a mobile home sounds like a very scary proposition considering we are not very good at intensity forecasting! In a mater of hours a system can explode or slowdown and either could be devastating no matter how well strapped and built the unit is.. Tornadoes always a possibility as well.

I suppose each units location and proximity to trees and water would think to be a consideration for some. NOT really.. If you have ever seen a 2x4, branch or even tall grasses sticking through a telephone pole much less a mobile home wall you would understand the real risk your taking. As a weather enthusiastic individual it would be foolish and a family it would be insane imo

[jusforsean]

Mobile homes (I know first hand) or any homes for that matter can sustaine damage in a hurricane especially if tornadoes spawn. However, in Katrina a few of my neighbors had damage and we werent touched, and then came Wilma and oh boy were we devestated. We are still in half a house. We leave even in a tropical storm because you never know! Yes, insurance is a must and I learned there are several loop holes in insurance with Wilma. We were covered but didnt receive half of what we needed to fix our home. Fema keeps denying us and its all coming out of our pockets. This time as soon as we are repaired I will get a apprasial and submit it to the insurance company and then insure it at the appraied value and they will not be able to depreciate next time. They payed me for 1/2 a roof, and where am i suppose to get a used roof lol , so you live and you learn! However especially since we have kids we flee, and many of my neighbors stayed for Wilma, my next door neighbor was outside in the hurricane tring to put screws in his house to hold it down fighting the wind and finally he gave up and let go and off it flew. But whats amazing is that 5 houses ina row were deystroyed mine included and they have been torn down but we had no where to go and not enough insurance so we had to stay and fix and then the next bunch of houses were like nothing happened and they werent any newer then mone, 1980, the brand new ones did pretty good with minor cosmetic damage. Not looking forward to this season but sefenitly more educated and prepared ( I think)

[rtd2]

Depends on the Home, what condition its in and how old ect. but main thing is tie downs and wind rating. My D.W. home in Biloxi is only 9 miles inland and it faired extremley well. ItS RATED FOR ZONE 3 WINDS (up to 120mph) Has 2x6 exterior walls and full plywood floors and exterior. I was suprised it did so well in Katrina cause I KNOW it seen gust high in Katrina. I lost alot of shingles off the front and some skirting but I've put a metal roof on and currently bricking up the bottom for a more heavy duty skirting now. Its all about common sense. alot of Mobile homes (older) were destroyed along with stick builts....I had to stay at work on sent my family away but I would feel safe in any storm up to a cat 3....A lot of my freinds nice stick built homes are gone and they would love to have a D.W to live in now....

[leeanninfla]

Hi Justforsean... I hope you are the person that I am thinking of. I met you from freecycle last year when I lived on 9th street and you came and picked up a printer from me. Anyway, my niece during Wilma lived on 8th street, her mobile was blown to shreds the only thing left was the bathroom, yet the 2 places on either side of her had MINIMAL damage.
They said Davie didn't get tornadoes, but I really am not sure about that. Not with the damages I saw.

[Hurricanebob]

Hi Justforsean... I hope you are the person that I am thinking of. I met you from freecycle last year when I lived on 9th street and you came and picked up a printer from me. Anyway, my niece during Wilma lived on 8th street, her mobile was blown to shreds the only thing left was the bathroom, yet the 2 places on either side of her had MINIMAL damage.
They said Davie didn't get tornadoes, but I really am not sure about that. Not with the damages I saw.

Don't forget there is lots of force from straight line winds... they can cause EXTREMES like you saw. It pulses waves of wind and within a 100 acre span can vary 30-40mph. Hence the reason wind "gusts" are reported so extreme in one area and lower in others.

IMO, hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and if you properly prepare you'll be alive, and able to come back and rebuild.

bob

[Alladin]

It doesn't take a hurricane or a tornado to destroy a mobile home. A strong thunder storm can rip a mobile home in half in a few short seconds. Mobile homes are not designed to provide safe shelter even in a moderate storm. A "microburst" can easily destroy a mobile home.

[Hurricanebob]

Actually a mobile home today is quite rigid in so far as how much wind it can withstand. To be sure what your home can take, read the gov't data plate located on the home itself. I helped an elderly person purchase one 5 years ago and I was shocked. I never knew that some homes actually withstood winds quite well.

Now, that doesn't say they are safe, that means they are safer than they used to be and that they may survive.

bob

[Alladin]

Mobile homes are unsafe in high winds, no matter how well they are fastened to the ground. It is a popular (though erroneous) belief that wind damage to mobile homes is only associated with hurricanes and/or tornadoes. This is not correct. Gusts from thunderstorms, for example, often produce winds that can cause total destruction of the mobile home and injury to its occupants.

[Hurricanebob]

Why is it that mobile homes seem to be magnets for tornado's? anyone?

[george_r_1961]

Why is it that mobile homes seem to be magnets for tornado's? anyone?

I think the southern and midwestern states..which get most of the tornadoes, also have a high number of mobile homes.

[wxforecaster]

It only takes one Tornado in a hurricane to make a mobile home go byebye!


Heck, a severe storm with 65 mph winds would do some damage to a mobile home!

Cant forget about the debris also!