A tiny house has many attractive features for first-time homeowners or people looking to downsize. Lower building costs and a smaller carbon footprint that come with tiny house living are certainly enticing, especially with the cost of living increasing daily. While their small footprint brings lower utility bills and maintenance requirements, does it also bring more danger?
As a general rule, a tiny house is no more dangerous than a traditional house. Tiny house builders must adhere to the same building codes as regular houses, ensuring they have safe building practices and materials.
That isn’t to say tiny houses are without risk and can be prone to more serious dangers from fire, flood, and storms than traditional houses. Understanding the risks and taking the right precautions can help you avoid a dangerous situation inside your tiny home and make tiny house living suitable and safe for your family.
What Are The Risks of a Tiny Home?
Owning a tiny home has many benefits; between lower utilities, a small carbon footprint, no mortgage, and the freedom to move anywhere, it’s hard to say “no” to a tiny home. But, despite the benefits, there are also some inherent risks to owning a tiny home. Luckily, with proper planning and precautions, many risks from natural disasters can be avoided with a tiny house.
Flood Risks for Tiny Homes
An attractive feature of tiny homes is they can go just about anywhere, including waterfront locations. Unfortunately, that can also put tiny homes at a higher risk of flooding. Many tiny homes are built directly on a concrete slab, which means the homes don’t have a basement. Flooding, especially in low-lying areas, is a real danger to a tiny home.
Luckily, with proper planning, it’s possible to mitigate the dangers of flooding. Try to keep your tiny house in an elevated area. Build a berm around your tiny house to prevent any incoming floodwaters from reaching your home. Keeping tiny houses safe in a flood zone may also require an elevated building platform.
Fire Dangers for Tiny Homes
Tiny houses have long been criticized for being unsafe because of frequent fires. A tiny house usually has smaller spaces and uses non-traditional appliances, which could be prone to fires. Couple this with many smaller homes requiring smaller windows and doors, which don’t always make an acceptable or safe egress option.
Further, many tiny houses built on a trailer have additional inherent fire risks. Trailer tiny homes must rely on flammable and potentially dangerous power sources without traditional utility hookups for gas and power. Propane, gasoline, and diesel are often used for heating and cooking, which could pose a severe fire threat if not properly used and monitored.
Are Storms A Threat to Tiny Homes?
While a major storm seems like the perfect setting to create tiny house horror stories, rest assured that most tiny houses will fare just fine through a storm and other natural disasters. Storms can bring heavy rain and storm damage caused by high winds. Tiny houses are designed and constructed with the same building codes and regulations as traditional homes, so they should survive a moderately severe storm.
However, tiny houses built on a mobile trailer may not fare as well. Homes that aren’t properly anchored to a permanent foundation are prone to damage from flooding and high winds.
Are Tiny Homes Safe in Earthquakes?
Most homes, tiny or not, will not survive a severe earthquake. However, it may be a surprise to learn that most tiny homes do remarkably well in an earthquake, thanks to their smaller footprint. A tiny house is less subject to tectonic plate shifts, rendering it much safer in a mild to moderate earthquake.
Keep in mind, though, that your home’s safety is directly related to its build quality. A tiny house built to standard code with high-quality materials will be much safer and more quake-resistant than a home built with sub-par standards.
Snow Storms and Tiny Homes
Snow and ice can cause havoc to both traditional and tiny homes. Heavy snow accumulation can add hundreds of pounds to your roof, and ice can cause pipes and plumbing to freeze.
Tiny homes require local building standards, which makes their roofs just as safe as a traditional roof on a larger home. However, cold temperatures and ice can destroy tiny houses, especially if not adequately insulated. Many tiny homes are mobile, exposing pipes and gas lines to cooler temperatures. Frozen pipes can cause severe damage in a tiny home.
How Can You Make Your Tiny House Safer?
Everyone should deserve to feel safe in their home, regardless of the size. Just because you have a tiny house doesn’t mean you should skimp on safety measures. Although built to the same standards and codes as a traditional house, there are some steps you can take to make your tiny house even safer.
- Anchor – A tiny house anchored to a concrete foundation is safer than a home designed to be towed by a trailer. Anchoring your tiny house is a great idea for areas prone to high winds from storms. In many locations with frequent storms, anchoring a tiny house is mandatory.
- Location – Choose a safe place for your tiny house. You want to avoid low-lying areas that could be prone to flooding. Avoid areas with heavy tree cover if possible, as falling debris and branches can cause significant roof damage in tiny houses. Avoid coastal areas that can be prime targets for severe thunderstorms, tropical storms, and hurricanes.
- Materials – While the building code dictates the minimum specifications for several building materials on your tiny house, consider upgrading when possible. Using high-quality materials can not only make your home last longer, but it can make your home safer too. Be sure to opt for premium HVAC systems that continually provide air circulation with a sufficient ventilation system throughout your tiny house.
- Roof – Make sure your room is constructed using the same building codes, regulations, and standards as a traditional home. Before a storm, ensure that any loose shingles are secured to prevent leaks or damage to other parts of your property.
- Insulation – Insulation is often an afterthought because it is easy to heat and cool a tiny house due to its small square footage. If you live in a colder climate, take the time to fully insulate your tiny house, including entry points for your utilities. In cold temperatures, pipes and plumbing can quickly freeze, creating a messy and costly situation inside your home.
Adhering to proper tiny house safety measures in your tiny house can help you stay safe and get the most out of your tiny space.
Are Tiny Homes Safe in High Winds?
Today, many tiny houses are built with the same strict regulations as traditional houses. Tiny house builders still have to adhere to stringent permitting, standards, and regulations to render tiny houses safe. These regulations mean the same quality materials that would go onto a traditional home are used for a tiny house.
Just like a traditional home, nothing is 100% safe. Many states, especially in areas prone to inclement weather, have created enhanced building codes designed to protect your tiny house and keep you safe during strong winds. If built correctly and to code, a tiny house is designed to withstand up to Category 3 force winds from a hurricane. Category 3 winds are defined as strong winds between 111 and 129 mph.
What is the Lifespan of a Tiny House?
A tiny house’s overall lifespan depends on how the home is constructed. Tiny houses can live on a trailer or a traditional concrete slab foundation like a typical home. Mobile houses on a trailer tend to have a shorter lifespan than homes anchored to a foundation.
Further, the materials you choose to include in your tiny house will significantly impact your home’s longevity. Tiny homes are more subject to difficult weather conditions, with wood warping, twisting, rotting, and breaking more quickly than larger homes. Composite materials designed to withstand inclement weather tend to last longer than traditional materials, like wood.
With regular upkeep and maintenance, most people expect to get about seven to ten years from their average tiny house. But, with the proper forethought and building materials, many tiny house owners can maintain their homes and become a part of the tiny house nation for a lifetime. Your environment, weather conditions, building materials, and upkeep are significant factors in your tiny house’s lifespan.
Are Tiny Homes Still Popular in 2023?
With rising living costs everywhere in the country, it is no surprise that tiny house living is as popular as ever. Rising interest rates, energy costs, and property prices can make it cost-prohibitive to own a traditional home. There are several benefits to tiny homes that are incredibly attractive for first-time homeowners or folks looking to live a debt-free life. Plus, many homeowners love being close to family (just don’t ask us about the tiny house divorce rate).
A tiny house is often built using affordable materials, making a mortgage a thing of the past. Plus, tiny homes are smaller, so they are more environmentally friendly, using fewer materials to build and less energy to heat and cool the home. A tiny house has relatively low maintenance, making it easier to find free time to enjoy the things you love.