Let’s face it. Wintery temperatures can wreak havoc on any home — the mobile home is not an exception. It’s just part of the continual real-life narrative of man vs. nature.
There are some precautions that ought to be taken as winter rolls around. As a good steward of the mobile home you own, it’s smart to start taking precautionary measures now.
And we have a few ideas that you can start implementing today. The time to take responsibility is now — well before a wintery crisis hits your home.
Taking preventative measures is important.
Precautions to take in your mobile home this winter
But why are precautionary actions important? Well, not taking precautions for this winter could cost you. If a pipe busts or your gutters find themselves damaged by ice, you could have several thousand dollars departing from your bank account. And who wants that? (Yeah, we didn’t think so…)
By taking precautions, you’ll prepare your mobile home for winter. And as a result, your mobile home will be better able to withstand the brutal strain that winter will have on any home.
Does this make your home immune to winter’s bullying? No. But it does mitigate the chances of winter-related troubles hitting your mobile home.
We’re all about mitigating the winter blues and home repair expenses!
Trim back the trees, protect your roof
First of all, consider the external factors that you have control over. If you have trees in your yard with heavy branches that hang over your roof, it’s time to get a trim. The weight of ice and snow accumulating on the tree branches can cause some of them to snap and fall on whatever lies below.
This is not a problem until it falls on your roof and puts a dent — or worse, a hole — in your roof.
And we all know roof repairs are not the best kind of repair. They’re costly. That’s not a good thing.
Keep the critters out
The last thing you want is for a critter to make its home underneath your mobile home. There are other ways to care for wildlife during the cold wintery months. Letting them stay underneath your home is not one of them.
If you don’t have mobile home skirting, now is the time to get it installed. That way you can protect the underside of your mobile home.
Make sure there’s enough ventilation so you don’t have to deal with condensation issues. Additionally, you’ll want to be aware that any drain lines are draining outside of your mobile home, away from the skirting.
If you’re taking the DIY approach, read the skirting manufacturer’s instructions for more information.
Protect your plumbing pipes
If you’re living in the mobile home throughout the winter, here’s a helpful point.
Insulating your pipes is the way to go and thankfully it’s not complicated. Get yourself some rubber or fiberglass insulation pipe wraps. You can get them from your local home improvement store. Using duct tape or cable ties, you can secure the wraps after putting them around your pipes.
Give your plumbing pipes the attention they deserve.
Get in the gutter
While that doesn’t sound pleasant, if your mobile home has gutters, you’ll need to get on a ladder and remove the debris that’s accumulated. You’ll want clean gutters before winter sets in so you have an easier time of removing ice and snow from them.
The weight of ice and snow in your gutters can cause the whole system to detach from your mobile home if you’re not careful. If you’re in for a sizeable snow or ice storm, being able to swiftly clear the gutters is a must.
Stop the air leaks around your electrical fixtures
There’s usually lots of talk about taking precautions with plumbing. But what about the electrical fixtures? That’s right, electrical fixtures can play a part in preparing your mobile home for winter.
Some folks don’t realize that there are air leaks around the hole where the light fixture is installed.
In an effort to make your mobile home winter-ready and prevent high electric bills, take care of the air gaps. Use caulk or expanding foam spray to seal those cracks.
An ounce of prevention is a pound of cure
Sure, it’s something our grandparents are known to say, but there’s truth in prevention being less costly than repairs. Why wait to get hammered with a major repair bill before taking precautionary measures? Winter is coming. What are you doing to do to prepare your mobile home?
While we’re on the topic of winter preparedness, check out these winter-ready mobile homes.
About EZ Homes Design Team
