Used Home Snow Load

Hello,

I am looking at purchasing some used homes for my park in Minnesota. Where do you find the information on the roof snow load on older used homes? I was told it is often on a paper data sheet inside one of the kitchen cabinets but would assume most of those sheets are long gone on used homes from 1990’s

Sometimes these data sheets are in the master bedroom closet as well.

Snow loads are regulated at the city and / or county level in some states, so finding a used home can be really challenging unless you’re able to get a copy of that sheet - or have confidence it was delivered in the same relative area and not moved since…

Oh man, this “what is the load rating” question brings up others I’ve had. Like - is it really okay to put a metal roof-over on a mobile home without first taking off the shingles? I know it’s light - but still. What about folks who nail furring strips on top of metal siding and then install vinyl siding straight over it - or maybe first adding some thin insulation and then putting siding. These are all examples of adding more weight. I want to do some of these projects but I am afraid of exceeding design limits on these homes that were built decades ago, with no engineer in sight to tell me how much tolerance and head room they built in back in '73 in his design, or whatever.

HUD Code homes snow loads are set by HUD - NOT local or state authorities. Local authorities that insist they have any control should be educated.

Data sheets are also found near electrical panels and in master bedroom closets, and sometimes in laundry cabinets if the home was set up for a washer/ dryer.

You may try to drum up some business with Clayton. They seem to also need education as they say construction considers local snow load requirements.

I’m not passionate enough on the topic to argue about the HUD standards, and how wind and snow loads may be adjusted due to local requirements.

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Thanks. Even a 40 year plus veteran of the industry can learn something new.

@JCas06 , as per your post:

  • “Where do you find the information on the roof snow load on older used homes?”

You find it on the:

  • Data Plate (which is a standard sheet of paper glued to a cabinet, electrical panel or wall)

As per HUD:
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/rmra/mhs/mhslabels

"What is a Data Plate?

The Data Plate is a paper label affixed inside the home and is the size of a standard sheet of paper (8 ½” x 11”).

The Data Plate can be found in a:
1.) Kitchen cabinet
2.) Electrical panel
3.) Bedroom closet

The Data Plate has maps of the United States to inform the owner of the Mobile Home’s:
1.) Wind Zone
2.) Snow Load
3.) Roof Load

The Data Plate will contain the following information:
(a) The name and address of the manufacturing plant in which the manufactured home was manufactured;
(b) The serial number and model designation of the unit, and the date the unit was manufactured;
(c) The statement: This manufactured home is designed to comply with the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards in force at the time of manufacture;
(d) A list of the certification label(s) number(s) that are affixed to each transportable manufactured section under §3280.8;
(e) A list of major factory-installed equipment, including the manufacturer’s name and the model designation of each appliance;
(f) Reference to the roof load zone and wind load zone for which the home is designed and duplicates of the maps as set forth in §3280.305(c)."

Example Of Data Plate:

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@JCas06, as per your post:

  • “…but would assume most of those sheets are long gone on used homes from the 1990’s”

Whether the Data Plate is still present or gone really depends on the previous owners.

On occasion the Data Plates will get painted over or simply disappear.

IF the Data Plate is missing, you can request a:

  • Manufactured Home Performance Verification Certificate
  • From: IBTS - (Institute For Building Technology And Safety)

The cost for the Manufactured Home Performance Verification Certificate:

  • $100
  • /OR/
  • $125 (Expedited)

The Manufactured Home Performance Verification Certificate shows:

  • Serial Number
  • Wind Zone
  • Roof Load Zone
  • Thermal Zone

We are in the Southeast so “Roof Load Zone” is not an issue for us.

However, “Wind Zone” is an issue for us.

Our “Wind Zone” must be:

  • Wind Zone II

I have helped 2 Tenants obtain their:

  • Manufactured Home Performance Verification Certificate
  • For: Wind Zone II
  • No issues

I just obtained a Manufactured Home Performance Verification Certificate for:

  • Park Owned Home
  • Initially we received a Certificate for a Double-wide (which was NOT correct as we had a Single-wide)
  • This issue was resolved

Example of Manufactured Home Performance Verification Certificate:

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