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Mobile Home Manufactured Home Repair and Maintenance
Mobile Home or Manufactured Home ?
Definition according to HUD
Manufactured Home - A factory built home built after the enactment of and bearing a label of compliance with the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act, effective June 15, 1976 (HUD Code).
Mobile Home – A factory built home built prior to enactment of the Federal Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act, effective June 15, 1976 (HUD Code).
No they are not Trailers anymore! They are well constructed manufactured homes that are as well built as many site built homes I have seen.
PAINTING and SHEETROCK
WALL PANELING REPAIR
You can easily do it yourself. Take down the batten strips and top and bottom molding. If there is enough of the old paneling left on the wall you can put the new paneling over it if not you will have to take down all the damaged paneling to keep the wall flat and not have any dips, Then simply nail up new paneling and then re-install the top and bottom molding and batten strips. The batten strips do not have to be re-installed if you wish. DIY stores carry paneling starting at about $9.00 a 4'x8' sheet. Matching the other paneling exactly would be the biggest problem, however you can always paint the whole room to get everything to match. You will need a saw to cut to fit the paneling and a hammer and paneling nails. If can not DIY then get some estimates from a local handyman or carpenter. Do you homework on the the material and labor cost locally.
ROOF REPAIR
Roof coating is often overlooked or put off too long until serious roof repair problems develop. The roof should be checked at least once a year for rust or peeling of the roof coat. Most suppliers and repair persons recommend the roof be recoated every two years. Roof coat should be applied to a clean and rust free surface. Be sure to make any gutter repairs and check for any gaps between gutter and roof edge. There are different types of roof coat. The fibered type works well and is relatively inexpensive, there is also an elastomeric type that cost more. The seams should at the least should be coated. I will generally coat the entire roof if it has never been done. Some people use a 1" thick paint roller nap. I use a cheap string mop. Simply mop the coating on in an even coat over the entire roof. Be sure to get the seams well. The hardest part of the job is stirring up the roof coat and try not to make a mess. CAUTION:The roof coat is very slippery when wet!
DUCT WORK
The problem I see most with duct work is where the boot from the trough that comes through the floor, especially if any flooring or floor repairs have been done. Quite often there is a gap between the boot and the floor causing an air leak. This can usually be sealed with a good quality duct tape or silicon caulking. Be sure that there is not any damage to the trough that usually runs the entire length of the home, in the case of double wides there are two troughs interconnected by a crossover. You can easily check for trough leaks by going under the home while the air conditioner is on and if you can find a location to stick your hand up through the insulation. If between the insulation and the floor you feel air flowing or cold air you may have a leak that will require further investigation or the calling of an expert. In my home I completely removed the trough and installed the boots used in standard homes with flex duct attached to a main trunk line from the A/C unit as it is done in standard homes.Works great and is much more efficient.
A/C-HEATING MAINTENANCE
Be sure to keep the filters changed. Check the condensing tower to be sure that it is not clogged. Check for air leaks in the a/c heating compartment around the corners and metal framing/access doors. Incoming air should only be allowed into the compartment through the filter via the return grill. If air is squeezing in around any cracks seal them with caulking. Make sure that the blades on the squirrel cage fan have no buildup on them. This will cut down on the efficiency of the fan.
Insulation Repair
Any gaps or damage in the under floor insulation can be repaired as you would any home, with minor exceptions. Simply install roll type insulation of sufficient "R" value in between the floor joists and affix in place with insulation support wires. Use the insulation that has the facing on it. The fabric on the underside of the home is generally called "belly wrap". You need to either then pull the belly wrap cover over the new insulation or if that is not possible you can leave the new insulation exposed as it would be in a site built home. I do recommend repairing the belly wrap. Belly wrap to fix any damaged areas can be purchased from a mobile home supply, such as the one I use locally. If you need belly wrap call 803-438-9571 and Maria will be happy to ship it. Belly wrap is available in lots of sizes and is not expensive. I have also seen the underside of the home closed off with foam board after insulating. This may be over kill, unless you are in live in extreme conditions. This is also a good time to insulate pipes or duct work. Be sure to correct the reason for damage before doing the repair, such as water leaks or critters. The belly wrap is used to prevent moisture under the home from getting up into the under side of the floor and cause rot and mildew. I suggest putting down a vapor barrier under the home, such as sheet plastic. Be sure to check with local regulations.
Mobile Home Siding
Typically the "wood" type siding on mobile homes if not maintained will start to break down. The siding used is usually "MDF" board. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium-density_fiberboard. Ask your local paint guru for recommendations for stains or paint that will hold up in your geographical location. If the siding is already starting to break down you have basically 3 choices.(1) you can remove and replace the the bad pieces. (2) you can sheet over the home with something similar to what is called T-111 siding. (3) cover the home with vinyl siding. This is my favorite, because you can easily now upgrade insulation by different methods and you now can make the appearance of the home better. By just using "house wrap" under the vinyl can make a big difference in heat and cooling loss. The upkeep of vinyl siding is minimal and will last for many years. If the home is new start now with coating, staining or painting. Once again consult your local paint guru for suggestions. Vinyl Siding Over Metal
I don't see any problems with putting viynl over the metal siding commonly used on single wides. You would need to prepare for the vinyl by removing any corner channel and installing the J channel where needed. The trick would be to use sheet metal screws and affix the vinyl to the high spots of the metal siding. Other wise the installation would be about the same as installing over any flat surface. Be sure to kill any rust and seal any air leaks.
Keeping Cool
Venting out the hot attic air is just as important in a mobile home, single or double wide, as it is in a site built home. Generally one square foot of vent for every 300 square feet of ceiling is adequate ie. 1800 square foot home would require 6 square foot of roof vent. If you have any less you could have heat and possibly moisture buildup. If you already have vents make sure you have enough and that they are not obstructed. Vents for mobile homes can be purchased
at any mobile home supply.
Floor Repair
Most mobile home repairs are in the bathroom or kitchen. Sometimes only a spot repair is needed. Simply cut out the bad area then frame it in, so that you have something to attach the new section to on all edges. I like to use screws instead of nails. You then use the subfloor of your choice. If your are going to carpet you just need to make sure that you have matched the surrounding floor height and then install the carpet. If you are going to use sheet vinyl or tiles then I recommend placing luan over the subfloor for a better surface to adhere the vinyl. If you need to remove and replace a toilet, there are flange extenders available if needed so that the toilet can be remounted properly. Always replace the wax seal and flange bolts.
Mobile Home Wall Repair
A mobile home wall is usually 3/8 inch sheetrock covered with a "wallpaper" design. This can be hard to match if you are looking to repair or replace a piece. Two things I like to do is 1. Repair a hole as if it where a site built home and then paint the wall or entire room. 2. I like to remove the batten strips that cover the sheetrock edges, then I tape and "mud" them to give it the look of a site built home. This really makes the rooms look great. This does not cost a lot and is easy to do. If you paint just one wall with a slightly offsetting color this will give an illusion of a larger room if you use a lighter color.
Questions or comments? Please feel free to contact me.
Mobile Home Manufactured Home Repair and Maintenance