Manufactured home anchoring, sewer connection, installation permits

Information Bulletin Number 25

To:

Manufactured Home Dealers and Installers

From:

Elroy Berdahl
Supervisor, Manufactured Structures

Date:

January 31, 1996

Subject:

Manufactured Home Anchoring, Sewer Connection, and Installation Permits

1. MANUFACTURED HOME ANCHORING

The Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards require the manufacturer to provide the homeowner with instructions for installing Support and Anchoring Systems. MSBC 1350.2800 requires that stabilizing (Support and Anchoring) systems be installed in accordance with these instructions. The proper spacing of anchors for a particular home is given in the instructions. When an older home (pre HUD) is to be anchored and instructions are not available, MSBC 1350.3200 must be used to determine the spacing of anchors. The manufacturer is not required to provide the anchors.

Various types of acceptable anchors are readily available. Anchors are designed to resist withdrawal in certain types of soil. There is no one anchor that is designed for all types of soil. Anchors for use in sand have a large helix, usually 6" to 8" in diameter, attached to a shaft 48" long or more. Anchors designed for hard soils such as dense clay often have a helix (sometimes two) which is 4" in diameter on a short shaft about 36" long or longer.

A **test Probe or Soil Test Data should be used by the installer to determine the holding value of the soil. MSBC 1350.2900 lists the test probe torque values and blow count values of various types of soil. This information is vital to selecting the proper anchor for the type of soil encountered at the manufactured home site. Anchors will not perform in soft fill ground. The shaft must be long enough to penetrate 2 feet or more into undisturbed or well compacted soil. Other acceptable methods of anchoring manufactured homes are listed in the rules and include attachment to concrete slabs and footings, deadman anchors, and steel rods cast in concrete.

*	The Manufactured Home Building Code Rules Chapter 1350 (Code and Licensing) Stock #3-20 are available for $6.00 plus 6.5% Minnesota Residence or 7% St. Paul Residence sales tax and $3.00 shipping charge from the Minnesota Bookstore, 117 University Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55155; 612/297-3000 or 1-800/652-9747.
**	The test probe is a device for measuring the torque value of soils to assist in evaluating the holding capacity of the soils in which the anchor is placed. The design of the test probe is noted in the MSBC 1350.2900.

2. CONNECTION OF MANUFACTURED HOME TO MANUFACTURED HOME PARK SEWER

The following rule applies:

MSBC 1350.3400 subp. 2, Sewer Connections. Waste piping to manufactured homes shall be in compliance with the Minnesota Plumbing Code, Chapter 4715, of the Department of Health. When a manufactured home is installed on a support system subject to ground movement due to freezing and thawing, offsets or approved flexible connectors, or both, shall be used to prevent pipe breakage.

This means that the materials and methods used for connection of the manufactured home drain to the park sewer must comply with Minnesota Plumbing Code. When plastic drain pipe is used it must be Schedule 40 or Schedule 80 ABS or PVC. The ABS and PVC Plastic cannot be solvent welded together. When solvent welded pipe connections are made the solvent used must be for the specific pipe being installed and the pipes being welded together must be of the same material.

3. MANUFACTURED HOME INSTALLATION PERMITS, SEALS AND CERTIFICATES

When manufactured homes are installed in a municipality enforcing the State Building Code, a permit must be obtained from the municipality prior to starting the installation and the work must be inspected by the building official. Installation seals must be affixed to the home by the installer at the time the work is completed. The seal/certificate requirement applies statewide to all installations except for manufactured homes installed on permanent foundations which are in compliance with the State Building Code and installed in a municipality enforcing the State Building Code, including permits and inspection.