Getting Stronger Mobile home companies are making these buildings stronger, in response to a 1993 regulation. The federal government passed the regulation after seeing how mobile homes were damaged and destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The regulation strengthens building standards for mobile homes, so new models should be able to withstand 30 to 40 percent higher winds. McDonald says earlier homes were built to withstand barely 60 mph. The standards will improve fastenings within the home, with particular emphasis on exterior corners where wind stresses are particularly severe.
Tornadoes are strong enough to pick up and entire mobile home.
To prevent the home from flying away, many people anchor the homes to the ground by screwing steel rods into the ground. If the ground is soft enough for the anchor to penetrate, the soil is too soft to prevent it from pulling out. If the ground is stronger, the stake won't go in deeply enough. McDonald,suggests going a step further and cementing the home down. Thus he advocates anchoring mobile homes to concrete foundations, an expensive measure that can be done to existing homes.