It is totally understandable that before making a big housing decision, people will have lots of questions. This is especially the case when it comes to tiny houses, owing to the untraditional nature of the whole thing.
Tiny living has not been done on a wide enough scale to guarantee the same level of stability, predictability and safety of traditional living.
A tiny house is defined by the International Code Council as “A dwelling that is 400 square feet or less in floor area excluding lofts.” Many tiny houses today are much smaller than that, often less than 100 square feet.
It is this small size that lead many to assume that they may not be safe.
So let’s try and answer some of the questions.
Can Tiny Houses Withstand Natural Disasters?
By natural disasters we mean storms or hurricanes in particular.
The answer to this is not straightforward. We could ask the same of traditional houses.
Of course it depends on how severe the storm or hurricane is. But a tiny house built to professional standards will perform just as well as a normal house.
Remember, you should not be fooled by the size of these structures. They are usually quite heavy, sometimes up to 10,000 lbs. We did a whole article on how much the average tiny house weighs, and we found that very few go below 4,000 lbs.
This is about the same weight as a Ford F-150.
Assuming the tiny house is on wheels connected to a trailer, you also add the weight of the trailer to the equation. As you can see, these are not weights that can simply be blown off by the wind, unless its something more serious.
Just like a regular house, the tiny house can sustain some damage in a storm, eg. a broken window here and there, or loose roof attachments.
From the outside, it might appear that the damage is much more owing to the physical perception of size. i.e. one broken window in a tiny house gives the impression of more serious damage than one broken window in a large house.
Perhaps another reason why there is a perception of tiny houses being more susceptible to damage during natural disasters is the location in which they are often built.
Owing to the very nature of tiny living movement, where people just want to connect with nature and probably live off-grid, tiny houses are disproportionately likely to be built in isolated areas and country-sides.
So, while you would find 80% or normal houses constructed in cities, suburbs and other built up areas, you might find that 80% of tiny homes are just the opposite of that.
With few other structures to slow down the wind, it leaves a disproportional amount of tiny homes exposed, which may give the impression that overall they are not safe.
Are Tiny Houses Safe from Forest Fires?
One area where tiny homes excel when it comes to natural disasters is their ease to move around. Today, very few weather occurrences catch us by surprise. We know of hurricanes, tropical storms etc. days in advance.
In case of fires like in California, it’s a slow moving knock out punch.
With a traditional houses, there is little you can do other than salvage the things you can, run for safety and hope for the best.
With tiny houses and particularly those on wheels or those not on a permanent foundation, you can literally leave the danger zone with your house intact, and bring it back once everything settles down.
Are Tiny Houses Built With Cheap Material?
For people outside the movement, there is a general assumption that a tiny house is just a cheap, low quality form of housing. And the perception of low quality is that of easily destructible.
In truth, even normal houses can be built with low quality material, making them just as susceptible to damage.
How you build your tiny house is up to you, and there is certainly nothing stopping you from using the best materials. A properly constructed tiny home can stand for decades, same as a traditional house.
Part of this belief stems from what is observed in RVs, which is what many people think when they hear ‘tiny house’.
It’s true that an RV can be classified as a tiny house, but it is just one of many types and designs of tiny houses.
An RV is first and foremost built for portability. Of course for anything that will be put on wheels, there are lots of considerations on the weight and types of materials to be used.
An RV can’t simply be built to last as long as a traditional house, but with some high quality ones out there, you can be assured of getting decades of service.
For the rest of the tiny house, especially those built on permanent foundations, there are many laws and regulations on a local level that govern their construction. This ensures that the best standards are met to ensure the safety of the occupants. Local authorities enforce these through regular inspections.
Are Tiny Houses Safe from House Fires?
Tiny houses are compact in nature, which means fire can spread easily and quickly engulf the whole space. But their small space in nature ensures that any small fires are detected fast enough to fight them.
Most house fires in America are as a result of cooking, heating, electrical problems, smoking indoors, and burning candles. In traditional houses, the fire often starts in a different room from one where occupants are, and burns significantly before it is detected.
Just like in other house, tiny house occupants should take precautions to stay safe from fires.
Simple things like training your children or pets on best practices, installing smoke alarms, having large windows for prompt exit, and having fire extinguishers in your house.
But the basic protection should start during construction. Choose dense and potentially fire-proof/non-combustible materials for your walls and floors.
Are Tiny Houses Safe from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
The odorless and colorless nature of Carbon Monoxide makes it the most dangerous household gas. In the US, at least 430 people die from accidental CO poisoning each year according to the CDC. A staggering 50,000 visit the Emergency Room each year for the same reason.
Carbon Monoxide is usually produced by stoves, lanterns, portable generators, kerosene heaters and other propane appliances, or through burning charcoal and wood.
The risk in a tiny house can be heightened owing to the small space. Without proper ventilation, the entire house can be engulfed in the poisonous gas relatively quickly.
There are several steps you can take to protect yourself in a tiny house from CO poisoning.
- Plan your house design to include large windows and sufficient ventilation. Ensure the air circulation in your house is adequate in all rooms.
- Acquire a Carbon Monoxide detector and ensure the batteries are replaced at least every 6 months.
- Also buy a propane gas detector.
- Have your heating system and other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by qualified technicians regularly.
- Never use a charcoal grill, lantern, or portable camping stove inside the tiny house.
- Never run your generator, or any gasoline-powered engine inside the tiny house, even with the windows open.