Do manufactured homes in Iowa and Minnesota need tie-downs, and how do I know mine are right?

Yes, and anchoring is the part of a manufactured home most likely to be missing, corroded or loosened over time — which is why it matters on every one of these homes. Straight-line winds and derechos are part of the weather history in Iowa and Minnesota, and anchoring is a safety margin, not a guarantee against a tornado or a derecho, which is precisely why the condition of that anchoring is worth verifying. A properly anchored home has ground anchors installed to their full depth, with stabilizer plates where the anchor calls for them, following the anchor and home manufacturer instructions. Straps are placed within two feet of the ends of the home, and the diagonal strap angle to the ground is between 30 and 60 degrees. Anchors also need to reach below the frost line unless the foundation system is frost-protected. The common defects are concrete: severed, slack, rusted or missing straps; anchors pulled partway out of the ground or never driven to full depth; strap angles outside the 30-to-60-degree range; anchoring installed on one side only; and homes strapped to nothing more substantial than a concrete block. Call us about a manufactured home inspection, or use the free instant quote tool below.