If you own a mobile home, you might want to consider repairing it and preparing it for the warmer weather to come. This will help your mobile home be more functional, more energy efficient and more comfortable to live in. Additionally, it will increase your mobile home’s value if you are looking to sell it.
You may need to know about home repair if you are interested in claiming abandoned homes for resale. For how to do that, check out this article on how to claim an abandoned house and sell it.
It’s called spring cleaning for a reason. When the temperature begins to warm, plant life grows which can make clutter or cracks in the skirting or underbelly more problematic. Also, warm weather brings out the bugs, and if you have any drainage or ventilation problems, you will be providing an ideal environment for unwanted bugs to thrive in.
This is why right before spring arrives is the best time to do some home inspection and take care of any repairs before they become much bigger problems.
1 – Broken or Chipped Skirting
Skirting is meant to provide extra protection to keep the home safe from the elements. If your skirting is damaged, this will likely lead to draughts, cool spots and higher utility bills. Additionally, broken or chipped skirting boards can also become a breeding ground for mould, which can negatively affect the air quality in your home – not to mention the bugs this can attract.
If you have a mobile home that has damaged skirting, you should consider repairing it as soon as possible. This can be done in many ways, and it all depends on what kind of skirting you have. In most cases the skirting can be repaired quite easily and without having to spend a lot of money. The process mostly involves filling in the cracks or chips with mortar or caulk.
For vinyl skirting, one quick and cost-effective solution is to use weather resistant tape.
Check out this article for more specifics on repairing the skirting of your mobile home.
Note: you might not be able to use your old skirting boards again. This is because they are often made of particle board, which is highly flammable. If you decide to keep it anyway, make sure that it is cleaned and painted before installing it again.
2 – Leaking Roof
A leaking roof will invariably lead to more damage to other parts of your mobile home. That is why as soon as you spot a leak in the roof of your mobile home, you need to have it repaired. Depending on your experience and comfort level of DIY repairs, you can either hire a professional or save money and repair the roof yourself.
One easy and cost-effective DIY option to repair a leaking roof is installing EPDM rubber roofing. When installed correctly, EPDM will protect your roof from the elements for decades upon decades.
Depending on the design and type of roof you have on your mobile home, you may want to consider other options such as metal roofing. Metal roofs require more maintenance than other types of roofing options. They need to be sealed every couple of years or so. For more information on the maintenance and repair of your roof, check out this article on the different types of roof options for mobile homes.
3 – AC Unit
Don’t wait till the hot months are upon you to discover that your air conditioning unit is not functioning as best as it could. Take it for a spin while there is still plenty of time to do something about it.
First, give it a good cleaning, inside and out. Remove any dust or debris that could be making it work overtime. Inspect the ducts for any leaks or tears. And while the AC is running, make sure it is not emitting any foul or unusual odors.
4 – Sewer Smell
Sewer smell can occur at any time, but especially during spring time when everything starts to thaw out and warm up again. If this is the case, this is definitely something that you should deal with as soon as possible.
In most cases the sewer smell is coming from the P-trap underneath your bathroom or kitchen sink. The P-trap is there to catch any debris that happens to fall down the drain. This debris most commonly includes soap residue, food particles, and hair.
Hair and soap residue combine to make a sticky, smelly gray substance that can clog your drainage system. If the P-trap is damaged or is empty of its water, there is nothing keeping the foul odours from seeping out and into your home.
Before calling in a plumber, try unclogging your P-trap with a simple handshake. If you can’t borrow one from a friend or neighbor, you can buy one for around $25. That’s significantly less expensive than hiring a plumber.
Unscrew the stopper beneath your sink and plunge the handshake inside the tubing and crank the handle. You will most likely need to repeat this action several times. If you have or if you live with someone with long hair – or if you have furry pets – you will most likely need to clean your P-trap at least once a year.
5 – Inspect the Underbelly of Your Mobile Home
The underbelly is generally the part of your mobile home that is most likely to attract pests and rodents. This is particularly likely in the spring. You will need to clear leaves, dead grass, and other forms of debris from the underbelly which can make for comfortable nests for unwanted pests and rodents.
Next, you will need to inspect the underbelly of your mobile home for any cracks or holes. If the cracks or holes are minor, you may be able to patch them up with polyethylene. However, if the cracks or holes are significant, you will most likely need to replace the entire underbelly. Make sure you get this done before you start accommodating unwelcome house guests.
Takeaway
It’s always best to take care of small problems before they become big and costly. The best time to inspect your mobile home and take care of minor repairs is right before the warm weather arrives, which will bring out the bugs, rodents, mold and bacteria.
