Manufactured Home Fire Safety

Mobile & Manufactured Homes

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the fire death rate in manufactured homes is 32 to 50 percent higher than the rate for other dwellings. They don’t explain why, but the high rate could be directly related to where manufactured homes are located rather than any intrinsic danger in the home itself.

Manufactured homes are prevalent in rural communities, far from urban areas, where stick-built housing can be prohibitively expensive. In these communities, fire protection is often provided by volunteer agencies and the distance from firehouse to burning home can be far greater than in urban communities. While the construction techniques are on a par with stick-built homes, the statistical risks cannot be ignored. On the plus side, there are some advantages manufactured homes have over older housing. For instance, there are more exits than in some older homes and every bedroom has an escape window labeled with operating instructions. Here are some tips to reduce the risks:

• Develop an escape plan.
• Make sure all family members and baby sitters are familiar with the bedroom escape windows and have been instructed on how to use them.
• Consider carrying a cell phone. One segment of your escape plan includes calling for emergency services from a neighbor’s home. If you have no immediate neighbors, that charged cell phone is a good idea for all types of rural emergencies.
• Install a minimum of two smoke alarms.
• If you’re still in the process of specing your manufactured home, have a sprinkler system included.
• Follow the guidelines for electrical and heating fire safety religiously. The electrical and heating-related fires account for one-third of fires in manufactured homes.
• If you supplement the heating system with portable heaters, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on placement, refueling, etc. Refuel kerosene heaters by removing the canister and carrying it to the fuel source rather than bringing the kerosene container into the home.
• If you store fuels like gasoline, kerosene or propane, make sure they are kept in recommended containers, well identified and away from combustibles. Never store these flammable liquids in your home.
• Have your central heating system serviced once a year by a professional. Have your fireplace flue inspected every fall.
• If your home is not on a slab, install skirting material to keep leaves and other debris from blowing under the home.

Tagged as: manufactured homes fire safety