How often should I check my home's tie-downs and anchors?

Look them over regularly and after every major storm. Delaware's natural resources agency recommends checking anchoring equipment for loose straps and failing anchors monthly and after hazard events, and estimates installed anchoring at roughly $1,610 to $2,250 for a manufactured home. FEMA's guide found that corroded materials and poorly attached straps were common causes of anchoring failure, so watch for rust, slack straps, anchors that have pulled up, and soil washed away from anchor heads. Re-tension straps using the method the manufacturer or installer specifies. If an anchor has moved or soil around it is saturated or eroded, have a licensed installer reset or replace it.

Sources

• Adaptation Strategy: Anchor Manufactured HomeDelaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
• FEMA P-85, Protecting Manufactured Homes from Floods and Other HazardsFEMA