
In 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit the Atlantic. Sandy was the deadliest and most destructive of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season and the second-deadliest hurricane in all of United States history. Hurricane Sandy killed at least 233 people, 157 of whom were in the United States. It cost the US around $71.4 billion, left millions without electricity, and destroyed thousands of homes.
What few people know about Hurricane Sandy is that modular homes fared significantly better than site-built homes. Over the past couple of decades, it has been repeatedly demonstrated that modular homes are able to bear extreme conditions much better than their non-modular counterparts.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has consistently praised modular homes as structurally sound and safe for occupants.
Discussed below are three reasons why modular homes are considered safer than non-modular homes.
Quality Workmanship: Heaven forbid your city is struck with a natural disaster, you want to be absolutely assured that the people who built your house knew exactly what they were doing. Much damage to houses is due to inadequate design, substandard workmanship, and/or misapplication of building materials. All modular construction takes place in factories by highly-trained technicians, and is thus subject to rigorous quality control.
For example, a modular roof is constructed by a factory worker whose job it is to work on roofs all day, every day. That worker thus has all the tools, training, and experience needed to do a job perfectly every single time.
Inspections: Site-built homes only have one inspection once the home is completed. The inspector is responsible for checking all parts of the house, including the roof, the electric wiring, the plumbing, and the basement. Some states don’t even require that the inspection be performed by a licensed inspector. With modular construction, a specialized inspection by the manufacturer takes place at every phase. Upon completion, a final inspection of the entire house is performed. Furthermore, modular homes are inspected by state and local building inspectors.
Building Design: The module-to-module construction of modular homes provides an inherently rigid system, making them less susceptible than non-modular homes to structural damage. FEMA reported that despite 131-155 mph winds of a category 4 storm, “modular homes performed much better than conventional residential framing.”
If you are considering building a modular home, contact Nashua Builders today. Our experienced manufacturers will be able to assist you with all your modular needs.
Source:
Elitzer, J. (2015). Why FEMA Says Modular Homes Are Safer. Definitive Guide to Building Modular; Modular Homeowners.