Chapter 5 of 17
Tie-downs and anchoring
The system holding the home to the ground, why it degrades, and why insurers ask about it.
1 min read
Tie-downs are steel straps running from the frame or over the body of the home to anchors driven into the ground. They resist wind uplift and sliding, and the number and pattern required depend on the home's size and the wind zone it sits in.
This is a safety system with a financial dimension. Insurers frequently require documented, code-compliant anchoring, and in some states a certified inspection is needed before a policy is written or a sale closes. An anchoring problem can therefore surface as an insurance problem long before it surfaces as a storm problem.
Anchoring degrades quietly. Straps rust and slacken, buckles loosen, anchors work loose as soil moisture changes, and older installations often no longer meet the standard now in force. None of that is visible from inside the home.
Have the anchoring inspected periodically, and always after a severe storm or an earthquake. If your home was built or installed some years ago, ask specifically whether the anchoring meets the current requirement for your wind zone, a system that complied when installed may not now.
Do not tighten straps yourself unless you know the correct tension. Over-tightening can damage the frame, and an incorrectly re-tensioned system can perform worse than one left alone.
Key points
- Requirements depend on the home's size and its wind zone.
- Insurers ask, and some states require certified inspection.
- Straps rust and slacken; anchors move with the soil.
- Inspect after any severe storm, and do not adjust tension yourself.
Watch out
An anchoring system that complied when the home was installed may not meet today's standard. Ask about the current requirement, not the original one.