Repair a Mobile Home Crawlspace
To keep your mobile home looking neat and attractive, it's important to pay attention to the crawlspace and underpinning. Flooding or strong winds can compromise or destroy the crawlspace area. It's good to inspect under a mobile home and check all support blocks or mechanical mechanisms holding up the house. Examine the floor for plumbing issues or leaks while you're in the crawlspace. Another major issue to address is insulation problems for the crawlspace area to save on heat and cooling bills. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Use a crowbar to pull a couple of sections of underpinning away from the foundation. Look for cracks in the blocks if the house is sitting on a cinder block foundation. Put a plastic drop cloth under the home to crawl around on. Beware of insects and rodents that might reside there. Use a flashlight or corded light to examine the flooring area. Look for water leaks or faulty insulation. Inspect every crevice of the foundation to decide proceed. Repair wood support framing for exterior siding with 2x8 boards.
2. Call a mobile home dealer to jack up the home if the block foundation is damaged. Call in a builder to redo cinder blocks and mortar. To repair underpinning materials destroyed by water or wind, remove enough exterior material to examine the framework holding the siding. Reconstruct lumber around the perimeter of the trailer home to hold new sections of siding. Again, use 2x8 boards versus 2x4 boards for the framing.
3. Use a light to look over ductwork under the home. Replace any ductwork or repair it to conserve heat and cooling dollars. Go ahead and run additional ductwork, plumbing or electrical wiring you've been putting off while you're working in the crawlspace area.
4. Install caulking to plug up holes in the mobile home flooring from beneath it. Install roll-type fiberglass insulation in the entire floor area from the crawlspace. Staple the insulation to appropriate sections of the underside of the mobile home. Check for weak floors or dampness before you place insulation under the house. Cut out any rotted areas and replace with particle-board flooring or plywood. Install heavy permanent plastic sheeting on the ground to prevent moisture from rising into the floor joist areas.
5. Screw exterior replacement siding into the wooden framework under the trailer. Check the entire underpinning to ensure all seams fit tightly where siding pieces butt up against each other. Add wood trim over the seams, if necessary. Strive to give the underpinning a professional look. Paint the exterior in a shade that harmonizes with the look of the mobile home. Use several coats of paint to protect the siding.
Tags: mobile home, crawlspace area, block foundation, heat cooling, Home Crawlspace, Mobile Home