Georgia Mobile Home Wind Zones
Finding your perfect mobile home can be difficult, especially if your Georgia county requires a certain wind zone! Mobile Home Gone is here to help you understand the code a little better! All mobile homes made after 1976 must follow HUD code (Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards), including the correct wind zones. There are three wind zones: Wind zone I, wind zone II, wind zone III.
Wind Zone I mobile homes are built to withstand up to a 70-mph fastest-mile wind speed. Wind zone one homes are the most common type in GA. Wind zone one mobile homes are allowed in 153 Georgia counties. Wind Zone II mobile homes are built to withstand up to a 100-mph fastest-mile wind speed. The six Georgia wind zone 2 counties are Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn, and Camden, and every other Georgia county is considered a zone 1 (there are no zone 3 locations in Georgia). Wind Zone III equates to a 110-mph fastest-mile wind speed.
Georgia Counties that require Wind Zone 2:
- Chatham County, Georgia
- Bryan County, Georgia
- Liberty County, Georgia
- McIntosh County, Georgia
- Glynn County, Georgia
- Camden County, Georgia
Housing and Urban Development Regulations:
§ 3280.305 STRUCTURAL DESIGN REQUIREMENTS is an integral section to know and states the following: “Each manufactured home shall be designed and constructed as a completely integrated structure capable of sustaining the design load requirements of this standard, and shall be capable of transmitting these loads to stabilizing devices without exceeding the allowable stresses or deflections.”
In § 3280.305(c), it dives deeper into the detailed requirements for each zone. Since Georgia only has zones two and three, we will include the following information: Homes built for Wind Zone 1 should be able to withhold winds up to 70 mph. Wind Zone 2 should be able to withstand winds up to 100 mph. Zone 3 homes should be able to resist winds of up to 110 mph.
In § 3280.305(C)(1)(II)(B), there is a comprehensive table listing all the requirements, including regulations such as Zone 2 and Zone 3 homes should be able to resist a horizontal drag load of 39 and 47 psf and an uplift load of 27 and 32 psf, respectively. The document also states higher zones can be placed in lower zone areas, but not vise versa. Your local department can also set more strict rules, so you will want to check with them as well.
Section § 3280.306 goes on about windstorm protection, anchoring systems, and foundations of mobile homes. Some mobile homes are installed with these systems, while others come with instructions and examples of setting it up yourself.
Wind zones differ across the United States because they are set up to protect your home based on your area’s wind patterns. The mobile home zones also consider the weather conditions . They are broken down based on your location, and therefore there are a variety of different zones in each state. The most intense wind zone is zone 3. Wind zone 3 homes are most common in areas with higher risk of hurricanes
To find your wind zone, look on your home’s data plate. The data plate can be in many locations depending on the model or manufacturer of the house. Still, familiar places include kitchen cabinets near your furnace or electrical panel and a bedroom closet. If you ever cannot find your data plate, you can apply for a replacement from the Institute for Business Technology and Safety. When you contact the institute, you tell them your models’ serial number or HUD certification number (this is a red tag located near an exterior corner). Although you cannot change your wind zone, you can now ensure your mobile home is fit to withstand the weather and protect your family!
Want to know what the wind zone requirement is for your Georgia county? Check out our full list of GA counties here!
Need to sell your Georgia mobile home? We are buying wind zone one, two and three homes all over GA. Fill out the information below to get started.