Help with mobile/modular home questions

[triplejfarm]

Hello,

We own a "manufactured" home on a full basement.

We went to a professional wood stove retail store, spoke with them regarding the "approved" stoves...
They gave me a listing of possible stoves, we picked one out...

the Harman TLC-2000 (yes, I now know that it is NOT mobile home approved...sigh)

Anyway,we went home to arrange funds.... just a chance we happend to come accross a used TLC-2000 for a GREAT deal...it is 2 years old... and say again...a great deal... well we knew it was mobile home approved, because thats what the dealer was going to install....<sigh>

so... now I have a stove... seems I cant install it.... because its not "mobile home approved"...

this just burns me... as the "mobile home approved" stoves are designed for the "old style" "trailers".... on a concrete pad... and the fresh air intake goes thru the wall or floor....
Well... with a full basement, I cant go thru the floor... plus I just dont see why its needed when its being installed in a "house"..

or...can I build a permanent porch and install it there.?

Yes, I know....rules..yadda yadda....

so, my question is... has anyone ever installed a NON-mobile home approved stove and gotten it approved in a "modualar"

or.... can I install it according to Manufactures directions in my basement....since, thats techinicaly NOT a mobile home..??
I am reaching here... but dang... I got mislead by the dealer.... I did call them, they appologised.... said they thought they were... and now I have a stove... but dont know what to do with it....
I think it sucks that todays "manufactured" home, is still caught in a code that was designed for a true "steel roof, mobile" home...
thanks for any insight....
Deb

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Deb, where are you in Michigan?

 

[triplejfarm]

Deb, where are you in Michigan?

Hillsdale Area...

One other thought...what if I build a small permanent porch to put it on..would I still have to have a "mobile home approved" stove?

man...what a bummer...

 

[gpcollen1]

I guess I am messed up with the definitions here. A mobile home is different than a Manufactured/modular home right? Or are there other definitions?

And if you need fresh air and wanted it to go through the floor, why not just elbow it over and out the side of the foundation?

 

[triplejfarm]

I guess I am messed up with the definitions here. A mobile home is different than a Manufactured/modular home right? Or are there other definitions?

And if you need fresh air and wanted it to go through the floor, why not just elbow it over and out the side of the foundation?

No... a manufactured home is a mobile by all "legal" definitions... a BOCA home is the only Non-site built non- mobile/manufactured home....

ours is a manufactured home, place on a permanent foundation, full finished basement...but because it is still a manufactued home...it is still legally a "MOBILE" home.... sigh...

my problem is that I got a good deal on a "non-mobile home approved" Harman Coal-wood stove, but the "law says I cant install it..... because it says "not for mobile home use".....

 

[moshiersr]

So this is what I went by when I was installing my stove.. I have a 1988 "double wide" which classified as a manufactured home, not a mobile home? My code guy had no problems with my install of a non mobile home stove. I just installed sheetrock, and a fire resistive base (ceramic tile) and installed a heat shield on the wall.

This may be wrong but:

Source: (broken link removed to http://www.manufacturedhousing.org/lib/showtemp_detail.asp?id=446&cat=1)


The Definition of a Manufactured Home

What exactly is a manufactured home? The answer may surprise you.

A manufactured home is a single-family house constructed entirely in a controlled factory environment, built to the federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (better known as the HUD Code).

Factory-Built Homes

Many types of structures are built in the factory and designed for long-term residential use. In the case of manufactured and modular homes, units are built in a factory, transported to the site and installed. In panelized and pre-cut homes, essentially flat subassemblies (factory-built panels or factory-cut building materials) are transported to the site and assembled. The different types of factory-built housing can be summarized as follows:

Manufactured Homes: These are homes built entirely in the factory under a federal building code administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (commonly known as the HUD Code) went into effect June 15, 1976. Manufactured homes may be single- or multi-section and are transported to the site and installed. The federal standards regulate manufactured housing design and construction, strength and durability, transportability, fire resistance, energy efficiency and quality. The HUD Code also sets performance standards for the heating, plumbing, air conditioning, thermal and electrical systems. It is the only federally-regulated national building code. On-site additions, such as garages, decks and porches, often add to the attractiveness of manufactured homes and must be built to local, state or regional building codes.

Modular Homes: These factory-built homes are built to the state, local or regional code where the home will be located. Modules are transported to the site and installed.

Panelized Homes: These are factory-built homes in which panels - a whole wall with windows, doors, wiring and outside siding - are transported to the site and assembled. The homes must meet state or local building codes where they are sited.

Pre-Cut Homes: This is the name for factory-built housing in which building materials are factory-cut to design specifications, transported to the site and assembled. Pre-cut homes include kit, log and dome homes. These homes must meet local, state or regional building codes.

Mobile Homes: This is the term used for manufactured homes produced prior to June 15, 1976, when the HUD Code went into effect. By 1970, these homes were built to voluntary industry standards that were eventually enforced by 45 of the 48 contiguous states.

 

[triplejfarm]

Thanks so much for the info about what is and what isnt a "mobile"...

I called Harman...and they too said that they did not consider a manufactured home, on a foundation a "mobile" home... I asked if they would be willing to "define" the word "mobile" in their guides...they said no...<I figured as much, but it doesnt hurt to ask...>

so, I still have a call into a local Building inspector to see what he considers a "mobile" home...

Here in MI, I think that if your home has the red HUD tag on it..... its still considered a "mobile" home....
ugh....

anyway...thanks for that article...I printed it to take it to my insurance agent.

Deb