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Through the 1980s, hundreds and then thousands of pipe failures occurred causing millions of dollars in property damage. Class action lawsuits were filed claiming defective materials and installation. The manufactures never acknowledged that the material was defective. They did however agree to fund a class action settlement to appease homeowner claims. The time for filing a claim as part of this settlement ended in 2007.
By far the most mobile home floors are made up of wood or laminate wood that might or might not have a vinyl cover for protection and aesthetics. Carpets are also very common although they are faltering in popularity due to their difficulty to keep clean. The floor of any decent mobile home is made up of four layers. First, there is a steel frame which is usually the same as the chassis we just talked about.
Plumbing
They should be in good condition and not bent or permanently closed causing reduced air flow to that room. Mobile Home HVAC SystemDETECTION – When I walk up to a mobile home, I always look around the house to see if there are any window A/C units hanging out. This alerts me right away that either there isn’t a functional central unit in the home, or if there is, it isn’t operating properly. SOLUTION – There are many types of elastic roof coatings and sealers that can be purchased at your favorite big-box home store. These can be easily applied with paint brushes and rollers.
These homes are built to much higher standards for all levels of construction from framing and insulation to plumbing and electrical. Then, take 1 x 2 lumber and screw it securely into the floor joists over the plastic sheeting where the new wrap overlaps the old wrap. Make a perimeter around the repaired area with the new boards. This will assure that the new and old areas of belly wrap are property secured to each other and to the home. Plumbing repairs often require cutting holes in the plastic sheeting.
Pitched roofs
First, you may be able to adjust the hinges to the door. Also, you may need to removing the trim around the door or window and use wood shims to adjust the door or window until it latches or moves smoothly. Covered awnings and porches are the most common additions that you’ll run across with mobile homes. Most professionally installed covered awnings are made of very lightweight aluminum.
However, few people actually know what goes on inside of a mobile manufactured home. One of the great things about owning a mobile home is that there are many things that a typical DIY oriented individual can do. Most everything is more easily accessed in a mobile home; especially the plumbing underneath.
The roof
Traditionally, mobile homes were constructed mostly with flat roofs. However, these are slowly being replaced by the much more attractive, functional, and structurally sound pitched roofs. Then there is a layer of subflooring that is usually some kind of wood or wood composite. It completely covers the previous layer and acts as a support base for your actual floor.
Purchasing a new manufactured home is very different from the process of buying a motor vehicle. There are a lot more moving parts, which can be confusing. Likewise with a dryer, the crawl space will be saturated with moisture and can cause mold issues. The space will also become covered with lint that can become a fire hazard. It seems that every mobile home we have purchased, for investment or otherwise has had issues with the HVAC system.
Interior layouts of mobile homes
It is always wise to get under the home and inspect the piers and tie-downs to ensure they are in good condition. PROBLEMS – We often see the piers resting completely on the bare ground and not onto a strong and stable cement foundation. The ground may be soft in areas, it may get wet and expand and contract. Over time, the piers will sink or move causing them to lose the support they provide to the mobile home frame. When this happens, the mobile home starts to sag in certain areas, become unleveled, and cause all sorts of problems we’ll talk about further. This is especially true of older mobile homes that have metal rooftops.
Many times these holes are never resealed, or just taped up; which typically comes loose over a short period of time. PROBLEM – When manufactured homes are built, the typically have an furnace and air handler unit built into a closet inside the home. This feeds the air down underneath the home to a central ducting system that distributes the air through floor vents in each of the rooms. DETECTION – Visually inspect each window from the exterior and the interior. Look closely at the window seals to see if there is any rot visible. If there is surface damage or rot, the damage could be far worse inside the wall.
This can cause the piers of the foundation to sink, tilt, and pull away from the home. In such a case the home can become un-level and cause all the problems stated in the section on foundation issues. Mold also becomes a major issue with the ground being constantly wet. SOLUTION – Often, the ductwork may need to be repaired, or in the worst case scenario, replaced. Follow this link to a our blog post on “How Much Does It Cost To Replace Ductwork In A Mobile Home?
This may involve adding a second panel to support the electrics of any homeowner modifications that were done over the years. This can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars depending upon the extent of the tampering. DETECTION – Walk through the home and look over the entire surface of the ceilings. Pay special attention to the areas where the ceilings meet the exterior walls. If leaks are present, acoustical tiles will discolor and be easy to detect a leak. Loose or bubbling paint on the ceiling drywall is often the sign of a leak.SOLUTION – Like anything, repairs can be made, but the cost might vary widely.
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