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How to Inspect Mobile Homes or Manufactured Housing for Plumbing System Defects: detailed procedures, defect lists, references to standards for mobile homes, trailers, double-wide home plumbing water supply & drain piping and oil or gas fuel piping. Mobile home septic systems are also addressed.

Ver.3.5 - 04/25/07, updated through 2011 - Steve Vermilye, New Paltz NY and Daniel Friedman, Poughkeepsie NY, Hudson Valley ASHI Chapter Seminar, Newburgh NY, January 4, 2000, NY Metro ASHI Fall 99 Seminar, Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, White Plains NY, October 2, 1999. Our page top photo shows our associated Steve Vermilye inspecting an on-ground, tipping, heating oil tank at a mobile home occupied by farm workers in Ulster County, N.Y.

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

MOBILE HOME PLUMBING Defects

SUPPLY PIPING - Mobile Home Supply Piping Defects and Plastic or polybutylene water supply piping failures, leaks, and litigation

Freeze Protection Suggestions for Mobile Homes, Double-Wides and Trailers:

• Note on use of heat tapes on plumbing or oil piping: The US CPSC recommends that heat tapes be connected to a GFCI-protected electrical receptacle (or on newer wired-installations AFCI circuits) for fire safety but HUD rules do not allow connection of the heat tape to GFCI because they don't want to risk frost damage: so note conflict between frost damage and life-safety concerns. Heat tapes used on exposed plumbing at extra risk of freezing, e.g. below the units.
• If mobile home supply piping has frozen, burst, and leaked into the structure, you'll need to remove and discard any wet insulation - or else face a mold problem.
• Simply adding insulation, in any amount is by itself unlikely to be sufficient to protect a mobile home from freezing if it's left unattended with heat off. Rather people design the plumbing to be drained when the home is left.
• If the trailer or mobile the home is occupied then you'll need to look carefully at supply pipe routing and maybe even add heat in some areas. We dislike heat tapes - as they can be unreliable and possible fire hazards, but they can work in some cases.
  
  High-quality plumbing pipe heating tapes that can be crossed over one another without melting and shorting out (fire hazard) are available. Of course if the home loses electrical power this solution won't help much. To reduce the mobile home fire risk when using heat tapes, use metal-braid shielded heating cables connected to a GFCI protected electrical outlet so that if the heating tapes short out the circuit will trip.

• Trailer & mobile home water entry lines are often exposed to freezing below the unit - (photos above left and right).
• If the mobile home water supply is provided by a pump and the pump is found to have cracked (and the home is located in a climate where freezing weather occurs, pump cracking probably means it froze and was not drained or protected from freezing.
• If mobile home drains are freezing the same frost protection or heating concerns need to be addressed as we've just listed.
• Open drains or leaky connections (crawl)
• Leaky supply main (crawl)

DRAIN WASTE VENT - Mobile Home & Trailer Drain Waste Vent Piping Defects

• leaky traps rot walls and floors faster than conventional construction especially where OSB or chipboard was used for subfloor material in the mobile home or trailer
• Drains added (added laundry or bath) not under unit or ? (photo at above left shows a laundry drain spilling onto the yard surface by the mobile home)

MOBILE HOME & TRAILER or DOUBLE-Wide Heating FUEL SUPPLY Defects & Concerns, gas and oil piping

Mobile home oil tank defects, problems, repairs

Oil tank support (often falling or in ground-contact) see our photo at page top Oil tank gauges and fill and vent piping - exposed to water entry from roof spillage or, as in our photo, from a makeshift repair to a fuel gage or other tank connection

WATER HEATER Defects in Mobile Homes, Trailers, Double-Wides

MOBILE HOME PLUMBING Fixture Defects

• Tubs: usual leaks at fittings; missing components,
• history of leaks and no maintenance;
• Fixtures or fixture drains damaged from freezing underneath the home in cold climates

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Questions & answers about mobile home & double-wide plumbing systems: inspection, diagnosis, repair, or replacement of mobile home plumbing

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• InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
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• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

DEFINITIONS of Mobile Home, Doublewide, Modular, Panelized Construction

MOBILE HOMES, DOUBLEWIDES, TRAILERS
INTRODUCTION to MOBILE HOMES
PRIORITIES OF MOBILE HOME INSPECTION
MOBILE HOME EXTERIOR DEFECTS
MOBILE HOME LABELS
MOBILE HOME ROOF LEAKS, DEFECTS
MOBILE HOME STRUCTURAL DEFECTS
  MOBILE HOME WIND RATINGS
  MOBILE HOME ENERGY ZONES
  MOBILE HOME ROOF ZONES
  MOBILE HOME FOUNDATIONS
  MOBILE HOME PIERS
  MOBILE HOME STABILIZING SYSTEMS
  MULTI-WIDE CONNECTIONS
  MOBILE HOME WALL DEFECTS
  MOBILE HOME CRAWL SPACES
  GENERAL STRUCTURAL
MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL DEFECTS
  MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL SUPPLY
  MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL SERVICE
  MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL GROUNDING
  COMMON DEFECTS
MOBILE HOME HEATING
MOBILE HOME COOLING
MOBILE HOME INSULATION
MOBILE HOME PLUMBING
  GENERAL PLUMBING
  MOBILE HOME SUPPLY PIPING
  DRAIN WASTE VENT
  MOBILE HOME FUEL SUPPLY
  MOBILE HOME WATER HEATER DEFECTS
  MOBILE HOME PLUMBING FIXTURE DEFECTS
MOBILE HOME INTERIOR DEFECTS

• Mobile Home Inspections - Daniel Friedman & Steven T. Vermilye
• Trailer vs Mobile Home vs Modular vs Panelized Construction an explanation of terms and how to identify these structures.
• "Modular Home Construction, special defects and inspection methods" Dan Friedman, NY Metro ASHI Seminar, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, White Plains NY, October 4, 1996
• MOBILE HOME INSPECTIONS
• Trailer vs Mobile Home vs Modular vs Panelized Construction an explanation of terms and how to identify these structures.
• "Modular Home Construction, special defects and inspection methods" Dan Friedman, NY Metro ASHI Seminar, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, White Plains NY, October 4, 1996
• New York State: "Manufactured Homes: an installation guide for the code enforcement official," undated. [Div. of Code Enforcement & Admin. - 518-474-4073, George E. Clark, Jr., Director] - this is a guide tool, not an enforcement code or standard.
• HUD State Administrative Agency (for 36 states) (NY: 518-474-4073) - for complaints
• Manufactured Housing Institute, 2101 Wilson Blvd. Ste. 610, Arlington VA 22201 703-558-0400 www.mfghome.org
• NYMHA, 35 Commerce Ave., Albany NY 12206-2015 518-435-9859 800-721-HOME (they want the Star Program to provide for separate assessment of manufactured homes)
• Consumer Reports: www.consumerreports.org - special report 2/98
• Mobile Home Inspection Checklist, Florida, Town of Lady Lake Building Department
• ABS Plastic Drain/Waste/Vent (DWV) pipe failures: reported for Centaur, Phoenix, Polaris, Gable, and Spartan pipe mfgs. for pipe made betweeen 1985 and 1988. CPSC Hot Line: 800-638-8270 or ABS Drain Leaks/Failures-Class Action Settlement COX settlement through Shell Oil set up by a contractor involved in the settlementPolubutylene Plumbing Failures: Spencer Class settlement. 10% of replacement cost/damages, only for acetal (plastic)fittingsPolybutylene plumbing info at U. ArizonaPolybutylene piping lawsuit settlement websitePolybutylene plumbing lawsuit proposed settlement-old site
• Polybutylene Plumbing Failures, Lots of Info about, but slow-loading busy site

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop, and from the InspectAPedia bookstore. The 2010 edition of the Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.

• Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
• Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
• The Journal of Light Construction has generously given reprint permission to InspectAPedia.com for certain articles found at this website. All rights and contents to those materials are ©Journal of Light Construction and may not be reproduced in any form.
• Appliances and Home Electronics, - energy savings, U.S. Department of Energy
• Avongard foundation crack progress chart for structural crack monitoring
• Basement Moisture Control, U.S. Department of Energy
• Building Failures, Diagnosis & Avoidance, 2d Ed., W.H. Ransom, E.& F. Spon, New York, 1987 ISBN 0-419-14270-3
• Building Pathology, Deterioration, Diagnostics, and Intervention, Samuel Y. Harris, P.E., AIA, Esq., ISBN 0-471-33172-4, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 [General building science-DF] ISBN-10: 0471331724 ISBN-13: 978-0471331728
• Building Pathology: Principles and Practice, David Watt, Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (March 7, 2008) ISBN-10: 1405161035 ISBN-13: 978-1405161039
• The Circular Staircase, Mary Roberts Rinehart
• Construction Drawings and Details, Rosemary Kilmer
• Crawl Space Moisture Control, U.S. Department of Energy
• Design of Wood Structures - ASD, Donald E. Breyer, Kenneth Fridley, Kelly Cobeen, David Pollock, McGraw Hill, 2003, ISBN-10: 0071379320, ISBN-13: 978-0071379328
  This book is an update of a long-established text dating from at least 1988 (DJF); Quoting:
  This book is gives a good grasp of seismic design for wood structures. Many of the examples especially near the end are good practice for the California PE Special Seismic Exam design questions. It gives a good grasp of how seismic forces move through a building and how to calculate those forces at various locations. THE CLASSIC TEXT ON WOOD DESIGN UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE LATEST CODES AND DATA. Reflects the most recent provisions of the 2003 International Building Code and 2001 National Design Specification for Wood Construction. Continuing the sterling standard set by earlier editions, this indispensable reference clearly explains the best wood design techniques for the safe handling of gravity and lateral loads. Carefully revised and updated to include the new 2003 International Building Code, ASCE 7-02 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, the 2001 National Design Specification for Wood Construction, and the most recent Allowable Stress Design.
• Diagnosing & Repairing House Structure Problems, Edgar O. Seaquist, McGraw Hill, 1980 ISBN 0-07-056013-7 (obsolete, incomplete, missing most diagnosis steps, but very good reading; out of print but used copies are available at Amazon.com, and reprints are available from some inspection tool suppliers). Ed Seaquist was among the first speakers invited to a series of educational conferences organized by D Friedman for ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors, where the topic of inspecting the in-service condition of building structures was first addressed.
• Domestic Building Surveys, Andrew R. Williams, Kindle book, Amazon.com
• Defects and Deterioration in Buildings: A Practical Guide to the Science and Technology of Material Failure, Barry Richardson, Spon Press; 2d Ed (2001), ISBN-10: 041925210X, ISBN-13: 978-0419252108. Quoting:
  A professional reference designed to assist surveyors, engineers, architects and contractors in diagnosing existing problems and avoiding them in new buildings. Fully revised and updated, this edition, in new clearer format, covers developments in building defects, and problems such as sick building syndrome. Well liked for its mixture of theory and practice the new edition will complement Hinks and Cook's student textbook on defects at the practitioner level.
• Guide to Domestic Building Surveys, Jack Bower, Butterworth Architecture, London, 1988, ISBN 0-408-50000 X
• "Avoiding Foundation Failures," Robert Marshall, Journal of Light Construction, July, 1996 (Highly recommend this article-DF)
• "A Foundation for Unstable Soils," Harris Hyman, P.E., Journal of Light Construction, May 1995
• "Backfilling Basics," Buck Bartley, Journal of Light Construction, October 1994
• "Inspecting Block Foundations," Donald V. Cohen, P.E., ASHI Reporter, December 1998. This article in turn cites the Fine Homebuilding article noted below.
• "When Block Foundations go Bad," Fine Homebuilding, June/July 1998
• Historic Preservation Technology: A Primer, Robert A. Young, Wiley (March 21, 2008) ISBN-10: 0471788368 ISBN-13: 978-0471788362
• Log Homes: Minimizing Air Leakage in Log Homes, U.S. Department of Energy
• Manual for the Inspection of Residential Wood Decks and Balconies, by Cheryl Anderson, Frank Woeste (Forest Products Society), & Joseph Loferski, October 2003, ISBN-13: 978-1892529343, $39.00 at Amazon.com or at the InspectAPediaBookstore
• Masonry structures: The Masonry House, Home Inspection of a Masonry Building & Systems, Stephen Showalter (director, actor), DVD, Quoting:
  Movie Guide Experienced home inspectors and new home inspectors alike are sure to learn invaluable tips in this release designed to take viewers step-by-step through the home inspection process. In addition to being the former president of the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI), a longstanding member of the NAHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), and the Environmental Standard Organization (IESO), host Stephen Showalter has performed over 8000 building inspections - including environmental assessments. Now, the founder of a national home inspection school and inspection training curriculum shares his extensive experience in the inspection industry with everyday viewers looking to learn more about the process of evaluating homes. Topics covered in this release include: evaluation of masonry walls; detection of spalling from rebar failure; inspection of air conditioning systems; grounds and landscaping; electric systems and panel; plumbing supply and distribution; plumbing fixtures; electric furnaces; appliances; evaluation of electric water heaters; and safety techniques. Jason Buchanan --Jason Buchanan, All Movie Review
• Masonry Design for Engineers and Architects, M. Hatzinikolas, Y. Korany, Canadian Masonry (2005), ISBN-10: 0978006100, ISBN-13: 978-0978006105
• Masonry Structures: Behavior and Design, Robert G. Drysdale, Ahmid A. Hamid, Lawrie R. Baker, The Masonry Society; 2nd edition (1999), ISBN-10: 1929081014, ISBN-13: 978-1929081011
• Masonry, Engineered: Using the Canadian Code, J. I. Gainville, Cantext publications (1983), ASIN: B0007C37PG
• Masonry, Non-reinforced masonry design tables, Hans J. Schultz, National Concrete Producers Association and the Canadian Masonry Contractors Association (1976), ASIN: B0007C2LQM
• Moisture Control in Buildings, U.S. Department of Energy
• Moisture Control in Walls, U.S. Department of Energy
• Quality Standards for the Professional Remodeling Industry, National Association of Home Builders Remodelers Council, NAHB Research Foundation, 1987.
• Quality Standards for the Professional Remodeler, N.U. Ahmed, # Home Builder Pr (February 1991), ISBN-10: 0867183594, ISBN-13: 978-0867183597
• R-Value of Wood, U.S. Department of Energy
• Slab on Grade Foundation Moisture and Air Leakage, U.S. Department of Energy
• Straw Bale Home Design, U.S. Department of Energy provides information on strawbale home construction - original source at http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/designing_remodeling/index.cfm/mytopic=10350
• More Straw Bale Building: A Complete Guide to Designing and Building with Straw (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series), Chris Magwood, Peter Mack, New Society Publishers (February 1, 2005), ISBN-10: 0865715181 ISBN-13: 978-0865715189 - Quoting:
  Straw bale houses are easy to build, affordable, super energy efficient, environmentally friendly, attractive, and can be designed to match the builder’s personal space needs, esthetics and budget. Despite mushrooming interest in the technique, however, most straw bale books focus on “selling” the dream of straw bale building, but don’t adequately address the most critical issues faced by bale house builders. Moreover, since many developments in this field are recent, few books are completely up to date with the latest techniques.
  More Straw Bale Building is designed to fill this gap. A completely rewritten edition of the 20,000-copy best--selling original, it leads the potential builder through the entire process of building a bale structure, tackling all the practical issues: finding and choosing bales; developing sound building plans; roofing; electrical, plumbing, and heating systems; building code compliance; and special concerns for builders in northern climates.
• "Vapor Barriers or Vapor Diffusion Retarders", U.S. DOE: how vapor barriers work, types of vapor diffusion barriers, installing vapor barrier
• Ventilation for energy efficient buildings, Purpose, Strategies, etc.,
• ...