Since mobile homes are built differently from non-mobile residential homes, different aspects must be taken into account to prepare for the cold winter months. Not only are winterization efforts essential for keeping you and your family safe and warm when temperatures drop, but they’re necessary for energy and cost-saving measures. When heat leaks out through small passages or breaks, it can become costly very quickly to have to continually reheat your home. We’ve configured a list of the best tips for winterizing your mobile home to ensure your home is kept warm and toasty whilst saving money in the winter months.
Related: Mobile Home Insurance Costs and Rates: Everything You Need To Know
The Most Important Steps of Winterizing
The specific steps you’ll need to take to winterize your mobile home will depend on the quality of your mobile home, how old it is, and how harsh the winter weather can be where you live. While each person’s situation is different, this list goes over some of the most common and effective ways to winterize your mobile home, no matter your individual circumstance.
Caulking the Outside of Your Home
For individuals on a budget (and even individuals not on a budget), investing in caulk for the exterior of your mobile home may be one of the most worthwhile investments you can make in order to secure any cracks or leaks that could leak heat. There are many places you’ll want to check for seams and apply caulk, including gutter and downspout seams, plumbing and furnace vent pipes, siding joints, TV antenna wire entrance, and any other spot you can think of or see. Caulk is cheap to buy and will be effective in plugging the holes that hot air will readily slip out of.
Another area to pay particular attention to is your home’s marriage line. On double-wide mobile homes, this is the seal made out of rubber that creates an airtight membrane for the two halves of your home. If your home becomes unlevel, this membrane can’t work correctly. With shifting frozen grounds in the winter, you’ll want to be sure to seal and or add insulation around the membrane to protect from exposure to drafts and cold air.
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Weather Stripping
Another economical option for sealing cracks such as those present on doors and windows is to use weather stripping. To detect potential cracks where airflow can come through, place your hand around doors and windows on a cold or windy day. You should be able to feel where the cold air is coming through and where the warm air is escaping. Place the weather stripping over these cracks, and the job is complete. An added benefit is the ability to easily take the stipping off when the warm air returns.
Related: Buyer’s Guide to a Used Mobile Home
Winterizing Your Roof
Maintaining your roof is essential for several reasons, including keeping energy costs down and preventing potentially costly water damage. The edges, seams, and or expansion joints of metal-roofed mobile homes should be sealed every single year. You should also use a roof coating that should be applied to your roof when it is clean and dry. Consider applying a reflective coating, which is helpful for capturing heat to melt snow and ice to keep the roof clear. You can also add a sloped roof to add extra space above your home for additional insulation to be added.
Additionally, it would be best if you were sure to properly seal around the vent caps for protrusions such as the furnace, exhaust fans, and water heater. Finally, make sure to repair any dents, cracks, or breaks in your roof that could lead to a wide variety of issues if left unattended down the road.
The Underside of Your Home
First, you should ensure that the blocks or jacks on the underside of your home are in good condition. This is essential considering that if they are broken, it could lead your house to sag, creating even more issues relating to doors, windows, walls, and joints. Next, depending on whether or not you live in an area where the ground freezes in the winter, you’ll want to loosen your mobile home’s tie-downs. When the ground freezes, it has the ability to shift several inches, which could bring a significant amount of stress to your tie-downs. Further, this could lead to structural damages that will be expensive to repair.
Related: How To Replace Flooring In a Mobile Home
Finding Quality Mobile Homes With Home Nation
At Home Nation, we believe that your search for the perfect manufactured home shouldn’t be a stressful or complicated process. Our team is devoted to helping our clients find the ideal home for them nationwide at just a fraction of the price that you’ll find elsewhere. Our inclusive services include a variety of offerings, including assistance with financing for your home, locating and selecting a perfect home within your budget with the features you’re looking for, and helping to guide you through the various costs and tasks associated with installing the house on your own lot. Contact one of our representatives by phone today to see how our team can be of help to you in your search for the perfect home!
Ready to start looking for a mobile home but don’t know where to start? Our team at Home Nation can help you to find the perfect home within your budget.
