Some manufactured homes even have basements and are not converted trailers.
I do wish people would get this right.
You’re right, there is a difference between a trailer house (mobile home) and manufactured home.
MH could be a double-wide or modular on a regular pad or even a full basement like ours. We have hit the basement a couple of times during tornado warnings.
Trailer houses are still on wheels and at the mercy of the elements.
The major difference is not the quality of construction, as manufactured homes are built in a weatherproof factory are inspected on site. They're often built with 2x6 or better construction and are built to withstand being hauled down the highway at speeds over 50 MPH.
The reason they're more susceptible to damage is the method used to attach them to the ground. Most manufactured home parks only require moorings every so many feet while others placed on an actual foundation are much more secure. It's easier for winds to blow them over when they're not fully attached to the ground, then the damage occurs.
The valley I live in is probably 95% manufactured homes.
New manufactured homes are built to the same wind standards as site-built homes.
“In areas prone to hurricane-force winds (Wind Zones II and III) of the HUD Basic Wind Zone Map, the standards for manufactured homes are equivalent to the current regional and national building codes for site-built homes. Manufactured homes are designed to withstand wind speeds of 100 miles per hour in Wind Zone 2 and 110 miles per hour in Wind Zone 3.
In addition, federal regulations for manufactured homes require the involvement of design and quality assurance professionals during construction to verify that the home is built correctly. Conventional residential construction does not require all of this...A 2014 Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) test found that manufactured homes performed better at high winds than traditional-built homes when any attached structures are properly installed. It also suggested that improperly installed attached structures like carports and patio roofs, are what cause about 80 percent of the damage in manufactured homes.”
Manufactured homes built before 1976 and/or trailers are different. But I don’t think the idiots writing the article know that.