Manufactured Home Fire Prevention and Safety

As a homeowner or renter of a manufactured home, you want to make sure that your home and family are safe, especially from fires. Since 1976, manufactured homes must follow both construction and safety codes from United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including items that work to prevent fires like:

• Factory installed hardwired or 10-year battery source for smoke alarms
• Smoke alarms that are interconnected with battery back-up, including alarms inside or immediately adjacent to all rooms designated as sleeping areas

By taking proper fire precautions, your family and your home will be well protected. According to the National Fire Protection Association, a proper functioning smoke alarm could help prevent up to 51% of the manufactured home fires that occurred from 2007 – 2011.

Prevention and Safety Tips

• Prepare a plan to get every member of your family out of your home in case of a fire. Practice this escape plan so that your family is aware and then find two ways to leave every room in the event that a primary exit is blocked.
• Pick a designated spot to meet outside of your home in case of a fire. Be sure this meeting spot is far enough away from your home, such as a mailbox or across the street.
• Install multiple smoke detectors throughout your home. Test all of them monthly.
• Purchase a fire extinguisher for your home. Good places to keep it would be in your kitchen, near a fireplace or an outside grill.
• Always blow out candles before bed or leaving your home. Do not sleep with space heaters on and never leave anything flammable (think blankets or curtains) near a fireplace or heater.
• If you have a fireplace, block off access to it from small children and pets.
• Turn off your oven/stove when you leave the kitchen.
• Keep your important papers and sentimental items in a fireproof safe. Make digital copies of important documents and photos.

Take precautions throughout your home wherever possible and make sure you have plans in place for difference scenarios that may happen. Using these tips could help keep you, along with your family and home, safe.

Article information and tips courtesy of Clayton Homes.