Mobile home fires can strike at any time of the year with devastating results. More than 2,500 people die and more than 12,500 are injured each year in home fires in the United States. With its special design, your manufactured home requires specific fire precautions. As a mobile home owner you can plan for the worst by holding fire drills, learning escape routes and buying insurance, but to prevent the possibility of needing them, some steps can be taken. To keep you and your family as safe as possible, here are 13 ways to protect your mobile home from fire.

1. Install smoke detectors.
Place smoke detectors in or near every room except the kitchen. Make sure to change the batteries on the detectors twice a year and test and vacuum the dust from the inside of the alarm once a month.

Hurricanes and tornadoes get all the attention from the media and general public. Yet damaging windstorms can occur during any season and at any time. Because of unique construction, your manufactured home requires special protection from sudden storms. To help your home withstand high winds, follow these five tips for securing your mobile home and protecting its contents.

1. Choose a position.

The position of your mobile home can have an impact on how well it handles a windstorm. To provide your mobile home with ideal wind resistance, position the home with the narrow side facing the most likely wind direction. The region’s weather service can help you find this information. Also, avoid placing the home in low or flood-prone areas or on top of a hill.