How to Winterize a Mobile Home
Some good intention and a dedicated day or two are all it takes to winterize a mobile home. If you want to take the extra step, there are a few items to consider for purchase that will help make your home better insulated, safer, and more comfortable. Now is the time to winterize your mobile home.
Even if you’re in the temperate zone, there are some important steps to take in preparation for those short but colder days and longer colder nights. The planning and maintenance you do today will reduce the risk of pricey repairs or frustrating fixes. So, with the right information, you can do the work yourself instead of paying someone else to do it. Take action now to protect your manufactured home from water leaks, heat loss, cold drafts and the danger of a winter fire.
Here are some steps you can take to winterize your mobile home:
- Caulk
- Weather Stripping
- Roof Maintenance
- Winterize Underneath
- Heat Tape
- Winterize windows, doors, and siding
Caulk
A simple tube of silicone caulk may be your best investment this heating season.
Important Places to Caulk Outside your Mobile Home:
- Gutter and downspout seams
- Plumbing and furnace vent pipes
- Around flashing seams between roof and siding
- Along door and window frames
- Through siding joints
- Encasing the dryer vent
- At the TV antenna wire entrance
- At pipe feed-throughs
Weather Stripping
Put weather-stripping on exterior doors and windows. This is an inexpensive heat-saver, and another primary step in winterizing your home.
Roof Maintenance
How does the roof affect winterization? A well-maintained roof lowers your energy bills and prevents costly water damage. Seal the edges, seams or expansion joints of a metal roof every year. Use a roof coating suggested by a local dealer or service center, and apply to a dry, properly prepped surface. Make sure you apply the recommended thickness. Put a good seal around vent caps for the furnace, water heater, and exhaust fans. Repair any punctures, cracks or breaks in your roof. Remember to tighten or replace any loose fasteners.
Winterize Underneath
Winterize under your home! The blocks or jacks that support your manufactured home should be in good condition. If they’re not, have them repaired immediately to prevent sagging, which can cause damage to windows, doors, joints, and walls. Check your home’s skirting. It should be secure, but not so tight that it stops ventilation or vertical movement.
Heat Tape
One of the simplest methods to prevent water pipes from freezing is the application of heat tape. Heat tape is literally what it says it is! The tape contains a plug-in heating element that wraps around and warms water piping. If you have a heat tape already installed, make sure it’s still operative. Replace worn or loose heat tape. And, make sure you never overlap heat tape – it may cause a fire.
Winterize Windows, Doors, and Siding
Be sure that your mobile home windows are in good condition. Windows that have quality storm window inserts and proper mobile home insulation will keep your energy costs down, which is the prime reason for you to winterize your home. The same goes for doors.
By taking these steps, you can winterize your mobile home yourself. A winterized home is a more comfortable home, a safer home, an energy-efficient home and an environmentally friendly home that will save you time and money in the long run.