Florida Administrative Code › 15 - DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR VEHICLES › 15C - Division of Motor Vehicles › Chapter 15C-1 - GENERAL › Section 15C-1.0102 - Installation Standards for Mobile/Manufactured Homes and Park Trailers

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
The standards set forth herein are requirements for all
				  mobile/manufactured home and park trailer installations, unless otherwise
				  specified in this rule. All installations of mobile/manufactured homes shall be
				  performed by either a licensed installer, dealer installer or manufacturer
				  installer.
(1) Installation standards
				for the set-up of new or used manufactured homes and park trailers shall be in
				compliance with the manufacturer's installation instructions unless otherwise
				specified in this rule. In the absence of the manufacturer's installation
				instructions, used mobile/manufactured homes and park trailers shall comply
				with the provisions of this rule. The park trailer manufacturer shall make
				built-in provisions for a minimum of three (3) vertical tie-down straps and
				three (3) frame tie-down straps on each side of the unit. All used park
				trailers shall have at least three (3) vertical and three (3) frame tie-down
				straps installed. Exception: The center vertical tie-down strap on used units
				may be exempt when it is structurally prohibitive to install.
(2) All anchors, piers and tie-down
				components used in the installation of a mobile/manufactured home or park
				trailer shall be tested, listed and approved by the Florida Department of
				Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Mobile Home and Recreational
				Vehicle Construction. If tests are conducted out of the State of Florida, the
				anchor or component manufacturer shall pay the expenses (per diem and travel)
				incurred by this out-of-state travel. Installation of such anchors, piers and
				tie-down components shall be in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions
				used during the testing procedure.
(3) Site Preparation: The under-home grade
				(ground) shall be cleaned of all vegetation and organic material; i.e., stumps,
				roots, etc., except grass not exceeding three inches (3'') in height. The area
				beneath and around the home shall be graded, sloped for proper drainage so that
				water will not accumulate under the home. All grass and organic material shall
				be removed and the pier foundation placed on stable soil or compacted fill.
				When the soil compaction or soil bearing capacity is not known, assume one
				thousand (1, 000) psf or consult with the local building authority. Soil shall
				be removed from an area of at least 16'' x 16'' to a depth equal to the height
				of the pier base. Exception: When being installed on fresh, clean, compacted
				fill the pier base may be placed on top of the soil. The bottom of the
				footer(s) shall be placed on stable soil. The pier foundation shall be a
				minimum of 4'' x 16'' x 16'' solid concrete pad, precast or poured eight inch
				(8'') minimum in place, or other material approved and listed by the
				department. Where the manufacturer's specifications have additional
				requirements than the above, the more stringent shall apply.
(4) Auger Anchors: All mobile/manufactured
				homes and park trailers shall be anchored with approved auger anchors, which
				shall be coated with hot-dipped zinc galvanizing (ASTM Standard #123-89A, which
				is hereby incorporated by reference); .60 ounces per square foot. Auger anchors
				shall be installed to the manufacturers installation instructions with special
				emphasis on soil classification and placed in undisturbed or compacted soil.
				Piers are to be installed off center of the anchors so as not to interfere with
				the proper alignment of the strapping. Anchors may be installed in predrilled
				holes provided the anchor penetrates a minimum of two feet (2') into
				undisturbed soil beyond the predrilled hole. When the anchor manufacturer's
				installation instructions permit, the hole is then backfilled with soil
				compacted in layers not exceeding six inches (6''). For manufactured homes
				produced after July 13, 1994, refer to the manufacturer's set-up manual for the
				working load requirements for anchors at the different tie points on the
				manufactured home. For used manufactured homes manufactured after July 13,
				1994, and the manufacturer's set-up manual is not available, all anchor points
				at side walls, shear walls, end walls, center line and other points as
				identified by the manufacturer, shall be certified for a working load of four
				thousand (4, 000) pounds, with an ultimate load of six thousand (6, 000)
				pounds. Anchors are required one at each end of shear walls; one on each end of
				each I-beam; one frame tie at each vertical tie point; one on each end of each
				marriage wall (center line); and on each ridge beam support post. Note: Coral
				anchors are not designed to meet Zone II and Zone III wind
				requirements.
(5) Stabilizing
				Devices: All ground anchors shall have approved stabilizing devices approved by
				the department, each of which shall have a minimum surface area of 180 square
				inches and shall be coated with hot-dipped zinc galvanizing (ASTM Standard
				123-89A, which is hereby incorporated by reference); .60 ounces per square foot
				or zinc coated to ASTM (A929/A 929M-96, which is hereby incorporated by
				reference). The stabilizing device shall be installed with the top of the
				stabilizing device installed flush with the soil to prevent the anchor from
				deflecting. Exception: Stabilizer devices are not required at center line or
				marriage wall locations unless required by the manufacturer's set-up
				manual.
(6) Foundations, piers or
				other load bearing supports or devices shall be installed and constructed to
				evenly distribute the load. Steel piers with mechanical adjustments shall be
				securely attached to the frame of all mobile/manufactured homes or park
				trailers. (See Figure C in Rule
				 15C-1.0103, F.A.C.) Manufactured
				load-bearing supports or devices shall be listed and approved for the use in
				which it was applied or piers shall be constructed as outlined in this rule.
				Concrete products shall comply with the following specifications: Minimum
				dimensional and structural requirements for load-bearing solid and cell
				concrete blocks shall be to the Standard Specification for Load-Bearing
				Concrete Masonry Units, ASTM C-90, 1996 edition. Concrete foundations and cap
				blocks must have a minimum of two thousand two hundred (2, 200) pound flexural
				strength as measured by Standard Test Method for Sampling and Testing Concrete
				Masonry Units, ASTM C140-96. Solid 4'' concrete blocks are the minimum
				thickness of blocks that will meet this test. Poured concrete shall be a
				minimum of fcl = 2500 PSI. All plastic products shall be conditioned to ASTM D
				618-61, reapproved 1990, Standard Practice for Conditioning Plastics and
				Electrical Insulating Materials for Testing. Plastics shall be tested to the
				following standards: ASTM D 790-92, Standard Test Methods for Flexural
				Properties of Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastics and Electrical Insulating
				Materials; ASTM D 732-85, Standard Test Method for Shear Strength of Plastics
				by Punch Tool and ASTM G 53-88, Standard Practice for Operating Light and Water
				Exposure Apparatus for Exposure of Nonmetallic Materials. All of the above ASTM
				Standards in subsection (6) are hereby incorporated by
				reference.
Rulemaking Authority
					 320.011,
					 320.8325(1) FS.
					 Law Implemented 320.77(10),
					 320.822(12),
					 320.8285,
					 320.8325,
					 320.835(2)
					 FS.
New 1-10-94, Amended 10-2-95,
					 3-31-99.