Mobile Home Insulated Skirting - The Myths and Facts

There is a lot of misinformation and foolish myths regarding insulated mobile home skirting. People have told me that they have heard that it will promote mold growth and that the underside of the home has to breath. Others have told me that they have heard insulated skirting doesn't offer any advantages such as prevention of frozen pipes. I can comfortably and confidently tell you that if done properly, these myths are false.

Insulated skirting can be one of the best additions to your home. People who have struggled with frozen pipes year after year have stopped struggling after they installed insulated skirting. There are a few different types of skirting on the market but they all behave the same way and these principles are universal.

Ventilation: Your home needs adequate ventilation during the warmer months so the underside can breathe. This is the only time of the year, when it is above 50 degress fahrenheit, that you need ventilation. Automatic vents that open and close are the best mainentance free option. The minimum required ventilation for a home that does not have a ground cover is not less than 1 square foot of vent per 150 square feet of floor space. If you have a ground cover, 6 mil poly plastic, you can reduce the requirement to 1 square foot to 1500 square feet of floor space. Please note: installation of the ground cover needs to be installed to a local building code and should be done properly. Insulating Strength - Whatever material you choose to use, make sure that the R Value meets at least a value of 8. You also want to make sure the outer material is weather resistant. A pre-made insulated skirting product is usually the best bet. It will be the most cost effective way to complete the product. Thermal Envelope - When installing an insulated product you need to make sure that the material goes all the way around the home. If you have a porch, deck, or addition attached to the house, make certain you install adequate material behind the structures to maintain a thermal envelope. You are capturing the warmth of the ground which is a constant 53 degrees all year round, and with out a complete installation, you will not capture it. If you stopped short of a porch, the warmth would escape to the outside. This is why your pipes will not freeze with a properly installed system. Durability - Insulated systems are typically 2 inches thick and are very strong. You will not suffer from wind blow outs like you may have encountered with non-insulated systems. Keeping critters out from under your home is also an important goal. The strength and durability of an insulated system will keep them out.

When done properly, mobile home insulated skirting will end your frozen pipe woes, cut down on utility bills, and offer a much longer lasting skirting compared to non-insulated systems.

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Mobile Home Leveling and Anchoring

Mobile Home Anchoring and Leveling are important items to look at when considering purchasing a manufactured home. People often ask how often, if at all, do they need to re-level their home. Another aspect of the home is whether or not it is sufficiently anchored or tied-down. Most of the recommendations on leveling and anchoring are tied to how well the home was installed to begin with.

Leveling: Leveling might need to be done every so often. The biggest factor in determining how often is what kind of substrate or foundation the home was set on and how well the lot was prepped as far as drainage is concerned. In the past years there was no set of standards on what the home could be set on or state building code that defined a standard. A common practice years ago was to simply roll the home onto a poorly prepped site, throw some concrete blocks under the frame, install skirting, and call it a day. In recent years there has been a total revamping of standards and building codes. Engineers are now stepping in and drawing plans for how the home must be supported. Installers are required to obtain and maintain licenses to perform leveling work. If the home was not set up correctly, which the majority of them were not, leveling the home up to currently standards and codes will be necessary. Homes that are set on dirt or gravel tend to require leveling work to be routinely performed. The level of moisture in the ground prior to the frost, if applicable in your climate, will determine how often as well. More moisture means more movement from frost. Ideally, a properly designed and poured concrete pad is the proper way to support a home, not dirt or gravel. Contact a qualified and licensed mobile home installer to inspect your home and give a recommendation. Anchoring: Anchoring of a home is the most important aspect to pay attention to. Most homes sitting on lots are not considered to be anchored properly due to radical changes in the standards that were set in the mid 2000's. There are a lot of homes that pre-date this change. The old way of thinking about anchoring was to protect the homes from the uplifting forces of tornadoes. Data over the last few decades show that the danger lies in horizontal forces coming from in-line winds. Engineers are now designing anchoring systems to not only protect from uplifting forces but simultaneously protecting from horizontal forces. If your home was installed in the mid 2000's or later, you most likely need your home inspected by a licensed mobile home installer and have an assessment done.

Whether you are considering purchasing a pre-owned home or are finally addressing old concerns with your existing home, a qualified and licensed company who specializes in the installation of mobile homes should be contacted for an inspection.

Foundation Settlement Causing Brick and Drywall Cracking - When Do You Call an Engineer?   Causes of a Foundation Problem   Examining Your Foundation and Choosing a Contractor   Signs of Foundation Damage   Hire a Reputed Company For Your Foundation Replacement   The Truth About Crawl Space Encapsulation - What Your Building Department Doesn't Want You to Know