Chapter 15.58
MOBILE HOME INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
Sections:
15.58.010 General requirements.
15.58.020 Installation permits.
15.58.050 Building site preparation.
15.58.060 Installation instructions.
15.58.010 General requirements.
A. All mobile homes shall be installed in compliance with WAC 296-150M-0600 through 296-150M-0730, which are incorporated into the ordinance codified in this chapter by this reference, unless otherwise specifically provided in this chapter.
B. A HUD-labeled mobile home shall also be installed in compliance with the mobile home manufacturer’s installation recommendations. The recommendations must be approved by HUD. The manufacturer shall send two copies of its proposed installation recommendations to the purchaser of the mobile home. The copies shall be in the home and available at the time of inspection.
A mobile home not labeled by HUD shall also be installed in accordance with installation recommendations provided by a professional engineer or architect licensed in Washington.
C. All mobile homes shall have permanent steps or inclined planes affixed to all entrances and shall have the tow tongue removed except when welded on.
D. To the extent that the installation of a mobile home is not covered by a manufacturer’s, engineer’s or architect’s recommendations, the mobile home shall comply with the installation requirements set out in this chapter.
E. No person, firm, partnership, corporation or other entity may install a mobile home unless he, she or it owns the mobile home; or is a certified installer; or is an individual who is supervised by an on-site certified installer; or is a specialty trades person for certain aspects of installation. A certified installer must be a registered contractor or his or her employee, or an employee of a registered dealership. See Chapter 43.63B RCW for provisions governing which aspects of installation require the presence of a certified installer.
F. In those areas that are recognized as flood plains by the Washington State Department of Ecology or the Federal Emergency Management Agency or hazardous because of the probability of earthquakes, ground slides, avalanches, or high winds, the Building Official may set requirements that are necessary to lessen the hazards or may require that the installation be designed by an engineer or architect licensed in the State. [Ord. 1937 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1734 § 1, 1991; Ord. 1441 § 1, 1984.]
15.58.020 Installation permits.
The owner or the installer of a mobile home must obtain an installation permit from the City for the installation of a mobile home on a building site. A dealer may not deliver a mobile home until it has verified that the owner or the installer has obtained an installation permit for the mobile home.
A. The owner or installer must provide the following information on the application for the permit:
1. The name, address and telephone number of the owner;
2. The manufacturer and/or dealer of the mobile home to be installed;
3. The manufacturer’s serial number, if known, of the mobile home;
4. The name, address and telephone number of the installer and the installer’s mobile home dealer’s license number or contractor registration number;
5. The address or location of the proposed building site, including the parcel number if the mobile home is going to be installed on private property and not in a mobile home park.
B. Mobile homes which are to be installed on private property as temporary structures shall be installed in conformity with the requirements of SMC 17.04.080. [Ord. 1937 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1734 § 1, 1991; Ord. 1441 § 1, 1984.]
15.58.030 Permit fees.
A. There shall be a permit fee of $50.00 for the installation of the mobile home in a mobile home park. The permit fee shall be $100.00 for the installation of a mobile home other than in an approved mobile home park.
B. A double fee shall be assessed if any mobile home is installed prior to the issuance of the permit. The payment of any such double fee shall not relieve any person, firm or corporation from fully complying with any of the applicable requirements or provisions otherwise required by law. [Ord. 1937 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1734 § 1, 1991; Ord. 1441 § 1, 1984.]
15.58.040 Inspections.
A. No person may occupy, or allow or suffer another person to occupy, a mobile home before the installation of the mobile home has been inspected and approved.
B. The installer shall request an inspection after all aspects of the installation, other than installation of the foundation facia, have been completed as specified in Section 305 of the Uniform Building Code.
C. The Building Official shall approve the installation of a mobile home and allow the mobile home to be occupied if the installation complies with the installation requirements of this chapter and the conditions of the installation permit.
D. If the installation does not comply with the installation requirements of this chapter and the conditions of the installation permit, the Building Inspector shall provide the installer with a list of corrections that the installer must make. The list of corrections shall state a date by which the corrections must be complete. The Building Inspector shall reinspect the installation after the corrections are completed.
If the items that require correction do not endanger the health or safety of the occupants, or substantially affect the habitability of the mobile home the Building Official may permit the owner of the mobile home to occupy it. [Ord. 1937 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1734 § 1, 1991; Ord. 1441 § 1, 1984.]
15.58.050 Building site preparation.
A. A mobile home may not be installed at a building site unless the ground at the site has adequate compaction and load-bearing ability to meet the support requirements of Chapter 29 and Table 29B of the Uniform Building Code as adopted by the State Building Code Council or WAC 296-150M-0610. The installer or, if the building site is in a mobile home park, the park owner must ensure that the ground on which a mobile home is to be installed has been improved as necessary to provide a proper base for the mobile home and that the area beneath the mobile home has adequate drainage.
B. Ground Cover. The ground cover of a minimum of six mil (0.006 inch thick) black polyethylene or approved equal shall be laid over the ground within crawl spaces. The ground cover shall be overlapped 12 inches minimum at joints and shall extend over the top of the footing. (Exceptions: The ground cover may be omitted if the under-floor area of the manufactured home has a concrete slab floor with a minimum thickness of three and one-half inches.) [Ord. 1937 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1734 § 1, 1991.]
15.58.060 Installation instructions.
The following instructions must be used for an initial or relocated manufactured home installation:
A. Installation of a New Manufactured Home.
1. The initial manufactured home installation must be conducted according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
2. If the manufacturer’s instructions do not address an aspect of the installation, you may request:
a. Specific instructions from the manufacturer; or
b. Specific instructions from a professional engineer or architect licensed in Washington State.
For example: (1) A manufactured home is installed over a basement and the manufacturer’s instructions do not address this application; and/or (2) A manufactured home is installed on a site where the specific soil-bearing capacity is not addressed in the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. A manufactured home must be anchored per the manufacturer’s installation instructions or per the design of a professional engineer or architect licensed in Washington.
4. A manufactured home must have a skirting around its entire perimeter. It must be installed per the manufacturer’s installation or, if the manufacturer is not specific, to the standards in this section. It must be vented to allow access to the under-floor area per the manufacturer’s installation instructions or per the standards in subsection (C) of this section.
5. A manufactured home site must be prepared per the manufacturer’s installation manual or per ANSI A2225.1, 1994 Edition, Section 3.
6. Heat duct crossovers must be installed per the manufacturer’s installation instruction manual or per the standards in subsection (F) of this section.
7. Dryer vents must exhaust to the exterior side of the wall or skirting.
8. Hot water tank pressure relief lines must exhaust to the exterior side of the exterior wall or skirting and must exhaust downward.
9. Water piping must be protected against freezing as per the manufacturer’s installation instructions or by use of a heat tape listed for use with manufactured homes and installed per the heat tape manufacturer’s installation instructions.
10. The testing of water lines, waste lines, gas lines and electrical systems must be as per the manufacturer’s installation instructions or per HUD Standard CFR 3280.
B. Relocation Installation of a Manufactured Home.
1. A relocated manufactured home installation should be conducted according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
2. If the manufacturer’s instructions are unavailable, you may use:
a. The American National Standard Institute (ANSI) Standard ANSI A2225.1 – Manufactured Homes Installation, 1994 Edition Instructions; or
b. The instructions of a professional engineer or architect licensed in Washington State.
3. A manufactured home must be anchored per the manufacturer’s installation instructions. If the manufacturer’s installation instructions are not available, you may use:
a. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard ANSI A2225.1 – Manufactured Homes Installation, 1994 Edition instructions; or
b. The instructions of a professional engineer or architect licensed in Washington State.
4. A manufactured home must have a skirting around its entire perimeter. It must be installed per the manufacturer’s installation instructions or, if the manufacturer is not specific, to the standards in subsection (C) of this section.
5. A manufactured home site must be prepared per the manufacturer’s installation manual or per ANSI A225.1, 1994 Edition, Section 3.
6. Heat duct crossovers must be installed per the manufacturer’s installation manual, ANSI A225.1, and subsection (F) of this section.
7. Hot water tank pressure relief lines must exhaust to the exterior side of the exterior wall or skirting and must exhaust downward.
8. Water piping must be protected against freezing as per the manufacturer’s installation instructions or per ANSI A225.1, Section 8.
9. The testing of water lines, waste lines, gas lines and electrical systems must be per the manufacturer’s installation instructions or per HUD Standard CFR 3280.
C. Skirting must be of materials suitable for ground contact. Metal fasteners must be galvanized, stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant material. Ferrous metal members in contact with the earth, other than those that are galvanized or stainless steel, must be coated with an asphaltic emulsion. Skirting must not be attached in such a manner that can cause water to be trapped between the skirting and siding or trim. The skirting must be recessed behind the siding or trim.
D. The skirting must be vented as follows except for manufactured homes sited in a flood plain. For homes sited in a flood plain, contact the local jurisdiction for proper ventilation. Skirting must be vented by openings protected from the entrance of rodents by being covered with corrosion-resistant wire mesh with mesh openings of one-quarter inch in dimension. Such openings must have a net area of not less than one square foot for each 150 square feet of under-floor area. Ventilation openings must be located as close to corners and as high as practical. Openings must be located to provide cross-ventilation on at least two opposite sides.
E. Access to the under-floor area of the manufactured home must have an opening not less than 18 inches by 24 inches and must be located so that all areas under the manufactured home are available for inspection. The cover must be of metal, pressure-treated wood or vinyl.
F. Heat duct crossovers installed to the standards in this section must be supported above the ground by strapping or blocking and be installed to avoid standing water. Heat ducts must also be installed to prevent compression and sharp bends and to minimize stress at the connections. [Ord. 1937 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1734 § 1, 1991.]
15.58.070 Foundation facia.
A. A mobile home shall have an approved foundation facia around its entire perimeter. The wood of the facia shall be at least three inches from the ground unless it is pressure-treated wood. Metal fasteners shall be galvanized, stainless steel, or other corrosion-resistant material. Ferrous metal members in contact with the earth, other than those that are galvanized or stainless steel, shall be coated with an asphaltic emulsion.
B. The skirting of a manufactured home shall be ventilated by an approved mechanical means, or by openings in the exterior facia or foundation walls. Such openings shall have a net area of not less than one square foot for each 150 square feet of under-floor area. Openings shall be located as close to corners as practical and shall provide cross-ventilation. The required area of such openings shall be approximately equally distributed along the length of at least two opposite sides. They shall be covered with corrosion-resistant wire mesh with openings one-quarter inch in diameter.
C. Dryer vents and hot water tank pressure relief valves shall exhaust on the exterior of the foundation facia. The facia for each section of a mobile home shall have an opening of at least 18 inches by 24 inches, with a cover of metal or pressure-treated wood, to allow access to the crawl space. The foundation facia must be installed within 30 days after the mobile home is occupied.
D. Skirting shall be of noncombustible material or fire-retardant wood, except that recessed skirting may be of pressure treated wood approved for ground contact. Framing for skirting shall substantially comply with applicable guidelines MH-1 or MH-2. [Ord. 1937 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1734 § 1, 1991.]