How to Inspect & Troubleshoot Manufactured Homes, Mobile Homes, Double wides, & Trailers InspectAPedia® -
Mobile home, trailer, doublewide, manufactured home inspection guide
Lists of defects found on mobile homes, trailers, double-wides
Guide to Safety and building codes for mobile homes
Questions & answers about inspection of the condition of manufactured homes, mobile homes, mobile home or trailer or doublewide problem diagnosis procedures, & their care, repair, & maintenance
How to Inspect Double-Wides, Mobile Homes, Trailers or Manufactured Housing for Defects: detailed procedures, defect lists, references to standards. Here we explain where to look for costly or dangerous problems on mobile homes, trailers, or double-wides. We address all of the major parts and systems of mobile home structures and suggest field inspection procedures as well as common hidden problem and common repair procedures.
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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.
With deep sorrow we report that our friend and associate, Steven T. Vermilye of New Paltz NY (photo at left) passed away on 19 June 2001, so of course you will have difficulty contacting him by normal means.
Steve was a leader in our profession,
recognized nationally as well as among New York State professional home inspectors for his competence, kindness, honesty, humility, humor, and for his unequivocal commitment to the welfare
of his clients.
Steve led our interest in mobile home inspections by offering us an opportunity to join with him to work pro-bono in behalf of agricultural workers in the Hudson Valley -- a service which we continue in his memory.
We found so many unsafe and un-healthy conditions in the trailers and mobile homes occupied by migrant farm workers that there was almost no safe habitable housing at the facility.
The facility owner, responding to suggestions from our report and from the N.Y. Office of the Attorney General and an attorney representing farm workers made extensive improvements in farm worker housing as a result of Steve's initiative. Many of the photographs used to illustrate defects and needed repairs at these mobile homes, trailers, and double-wides came from Steve or from our own photos when we worked together.
We all miss Steve Vermilye and his passing remains a great loss.
If the information in this report assists anyone in assuring that their home is more safe and secure than it would have been otherwise, that benefit is thanks to Steven Vermilye -- this information is
one of his many gifts to the people for whom he cared deeply -- Daniel Friedman. See InspectAPedia.com/mobileinspections.htm for latest version of this report.
INTRODUCTION- to the Inspection of Mobile Homes for Defects
Consumer Reports (2/98)
points out common weak spots surveyed and recommends that buyers hire a home
inspector. But many inspectors are not familiar with the special problems found
in mobile homes.
Price: $15-$70K; 15 million in U.S.;
"mobile homes" aka "manufactured housing" per the industry - confused with modulars & panelized.
single mobile home vs. double-wide trailers (specs)
single wide mobile homes
typical 1000 sq ft, $24,000.,
more problems with floors, roofs, windows, doors
multi-wide mobile homes, double wide trailers, popout trailers and manufactured homes
typical 1600 sq ft, $43,000.
more problems with joining of the sections
1x lumber and siding "trailer" construction vs. more recent
land often not-owned; rented 50% of the time
1974 HUD Code (Red seal certification label on newer
units); inspections @ factory; HUD-complying homes do not have to comply with
local Building codes! HUD regulations have loopholes and need work.
7 States: AZ, AR, CA, FL, TX, VA, W. Va. - have funds
for warranty claims; NOT NYS.
82% of respondents reported overall satisfaction with
M. H. (C. R. survey)
But more than 50% report at least one major problem,
even for homes less than 5 years old. (C. r. survey)
Definitions: What is a Mobile Home, Trailer, Camper, Doublewide mobile home, Modular Home, Factory-Built Home, Panelized-Construction-Built Home?
Mobile home & manufactured home tie-downs - to secure the structure against wind damage
OTHER COMMON MOBILE HOME & TRAILER DEFECTS
Roof leaks
Leaks at windows and doors (photo at left)
Plumbing leaks
Heating systems not maintained, possibly unsafe
Rot and insect damage at points of leakage into walls and floors
Wet or contaminated crawl areas, especially where enclosed
MOBILE HOME LABELS - Mobile Homes and Manufactured Housing Labels & Certifications
INSTALLATION MANUAL - For new/recent mobile home, every
manufacturer is required to provide instructions on site preparation,
installation and anchoring.
Manufacturer's CERTIFYING LABEL - on rear section
outside or near the main entry door, HUD Insignia
DATA PLATE - near the main electrical panel or
other visible & accessible location (under sink for many manufactured
homes): name of mfg., serial and HUD ID, zone information (see Structure
discussion)
DAMAGE DURING TRANSPORT: if the unit was damaged during
transport it no longer conforms to the standards and should not be
accepted by the code official;
Definitions: What is a Mobile Home, Trailer, Doublewide, Modular Home, Factory-Built Home, Panelized-Construction-Built Home?
The following is the opinion of the author and has not had a technical review by other industry experts.
Various trailer, mobile home, and modular housing
manufacturers may disagree with some of these views. Corrections and content suggestions are welcome.
Characteristics of Trailers as Living Space
Trailer traditionally describes a usually small, wheeled, home with a history and image of flimsy construction
such as wooden 1x3 wall framing clad with aluminum siding, virtually no insulation, and low quality leaky windows.
"Trailers" up until the 1970's (my estimate) included both campers which really were intended to be towed
by a car or truck and moved often from site to site (though some were left parked for decades at campgrounds),
and also lightweight factory-made homes which were intended to be towed once to a home site and then
kept there.
Our photo (left) shows a trailer that was finally abandoned as a living space. The little blue structure used as an addition to the left of the small house in the photo
at the top of this page was undoubtedly a small camper.
No one building "trailers" calls them that any longer because of the "flimsy" image. The closest thing to a "trailer" in
current products on the market are motor homes and campers.
The least-costly campers (such as our pickup truck "slide-on camper") built after 2000 are probably
considerably better constructed than the "trailers" of old.
In current language (2009), a "trailer" is either a "mobile home" that is more than 20 years old (see below),
or it is a camper designed to be moved easily and often from site to site.
(Or in different usage, a "utility trailer" is a utility vehicle intended to haul goods or large
items and designed to be fastened to the back of a car or truck, and a "tractor trailer" is of course
a larger (typically 40 ft long) hauling system for moving goods by highway from city to city.)
Trailers may have had their wheels left on, but normally they'd be set on a masonry pier foundation and a skirt installed
around to hide the under-trailer area.
Characteristics of Mobile Homes as Living Space
In the past few decades (to 2006), "trailer" manufacturers have considerably improved the quality of construction of
such homes. The national manufacturing and building code standards for these structures have also been improved.
Perhaps in part to escape the less than wholesome image of "trailer", manufacturers use the term "mobile home" to
describe what is usually larger and better made home than "trailers" of old, though perhaps with similar materials.
Mobile homes are built in a factory and are designed to be moved (once and uncommonly, perhaps once again)
on its own wheels attached to its own frame to a site where a foundation is prepared and connections to utilities are made.
In the U.S., states have regulations about the siting, foundation, steps and entry, wiring, plumbing,
tie-downs for wind and storm safety that apply to these homes. Some examples of mobile
home regulations for New York State are this website.
Individual state regulations will vary - you'll want to see what your state requires.
Even within states regulations vary as wind and weather conditions do also.
Examples of mobile home improvements include stronger overall wall and roof construction,
less leaky roof covering, and windows that are less notoriously leaky. In addition
newer mobile homes have, for fire safety, bedroom windows that can be pushed out to a wide opening for
emergency exit in case of fire - an important safety improvement. Usually building departments grandfather in
older structures, but sometimes they will insist that certain life-safety improvements be made, for example
if an older mobile home is being brought to a new site in a new community. If this is the
case one or two windows may need to be replaced to provide this important safety improvement.
When there is a severe storm or hurricane, mobile home communities are among the worst damaged as a strong
wind can completely turn over or demolish mobile homes. For this reason, mobile homes set up in high wind-risk
zones have extra requirements for tie-downs to secure the building against upset during a storm.
Mobile homes may arrive on wheels but they will be jacked enough to be set on some type of approved
building foundation, such as masonry piers or a masonry foundation.
In case these terms are not confusing enough, some mobile home makers
like to call these "factory built homes". But that use of "factory-built homes"
is confusing too since modular homes are also "factory built" but are quite different from trailers or mobile homes.
Characteristics of a "Doublewide" Mobile Home or Trailer
Some manufacturers provide mobile homes constructed to be joined together, side by side to form a double-width
living unit. While a double-wide mobile home is basically constructed by the same materials and methods
just described above, the tie-down and connection requirements for these living units may be different
in some jurisdictions, since their risk of being blown away in high winds is different. Other installation
and support requirements, such as connection of the two units and placement of foundation support will also
have to accommodate this variation.
Characteristics of Modular Homes or Modular Housing
Modular homes, too, enjoyed a less than stellar reputation several decades ago, having the reputation of
flimsy construction. That is certainly no longer the case.
A modular home is constructed in a factory of one or more sections which are carried to the building site on
a trailer and lifted by a crane to be set upon a foundation which has been prepared ahead of time.
Modular homes
can be quite large, involving four or quite a few more individual sections which are lifted and "set" into place
at the site. Some manufacturers provide custom architectural services and can deliver unique, but factory-built
homes in sections.
Contemporary modular construction of homes have these attributes:
The home is built indoors in a factory under controlled conditions, usually resulting in straight and square
construction of walls, ceilings, roofs, and floors.
Exterior wall sheathing and roof sheathing are glued as well as nailed to the surfaces of their
respective studs or rafters. Interior sub flooring and drywall on walls and ceilings are also
glued as well as nailed or screwed to their joists or studs. Some models by some manufacturers also install
a double layer of interior drywall. These methods result in a very stiff and strong construction.
The home is probably built to meet the building code requirements of all U.S. states, or at least all of the
states within a manufacturer's shipping area. You'll find an identifying label for the home with this information,
often on a kitchen sink cabinet wall.
The home is built strong enough to be lifted at the factory by crane for setting atop a steel trailer for
transport, then driven at 65 MPH down a highway, pushed or dragged on its trailer over an often hilly and rough
construction site, and lifted again by crane for final "set" atop its foundation. Without falling apart. (Try this with a
stick-built house.) At the Contempri factory in Pennsylvania on a modular home construction tour about a decade
ago, suddenly all of the workers and managers dropped their tools, ran to their cars, and drove madly out of
the factory parking lot. We followed to see what was happening.
One of their modular sections was being towed
on U.S. interstate I84 when the trailer disconnected from the towing tractor. The tractor drove ahead. The trailer
ran off the highway at 65 MPH. The trailer ran head on into the end of a steel guard rail. The trailer stopped.
The modular home section kept going, and impaled itself centered atop the guard rail. When we got to the accident,
there was no debris anywhere except where the guardrail had punched out of the rear wall of the modular home section.
You could look in windows into the kitchen where the cabinets and appliances were perfectly in place.
When the modular home is transported to its site, it is moved by being lifted and set onto an independent
steel frame which has its own independent wheels. At the destination the modular home or home section is
lifted by crane and set onto an independent foundation, and the steel frame/wheel set returns to the factory
for re-use.
A modular home is normally set on a foundation which has already been placed at the building site.
If the modular home is placed over a basement or if there is to be an attached or detached garage, often that construction
is performed by a local building contractor rather than by the modular home manufacturer (sometimes resulting
in different quality of workmanship).
A modular home can be difficult to recognize once its construction has been completed. However these clues will
work every time:
In the basement, if the ceiling is not fully enclosed, look at the main girder. Since most modular homes use at least
two long sections that have to be built and transported to the site, there will be at least two completely independent
floor framing systems, and at their mating point over the basement center, you'll see an unusually wide built-up
girder with (if properly installed) through bolts connecting the two building sections.
In the living area, if the building is a two-story unit, as you walk up the stairs from first to second
level, notice that there are a few more steps than usual between floors? Since each of the four stacked sections in
a four-section two-story modular home has been framed with a complete floor, wall, and ceiling structure, the "ceiling"
between the first and second floors will be double the normal depth since it is comprised of both the first floor
section ceiling framing and the second floor section floor framing. So if 2x10 joists were used, there will be
about 20" of ceiling thickness between floor (a great place to run wires and ducts).
In the attic is the fail-safe way to always identify a modular-built home unless there is simply no attic access
or all surfaces are covered. You'll find one, possibly two or even three features unique to modular home construction:
(1) there will
be a mating joint of the front and rear sections of the home visible as two girders in the attic floor, running along
the long dimension of the building, usually with a small gap between them, hopefully with insulation or other fire blocking
stuffed into the gap. The reason for the gap is that properly placed, the sections are set with their bottom girders
touching tightly, which may leave the top sections slightly separated at their highest point.
(2) there may be hinged roof rafters. Many modular homes have roof slopes which would be much too high
for the upper roof-bearing sections to travel up the highway. They travel with the roof laid flat atop
the upper floor module. The roof rafters are hinged, roughly 18-24" from the eaves of the home, and are lifted
up at the site, then supported by an attic knee wall. So you'll see two knee walls, one supporting the front
and one the back roof section. You may see the hinges on the rafters down near the eaves as well.
(3) One modular home
we inspected had fallen off of its trailer while being lifted by the crane. It rolled over on its face. Like the
unit which had impaled itself on the guard rail, there was little damage other than broken windows. But there was
a slight crease in all of the roof shingles about 24" up from the eaves. The rafter hinges had all been slightly
bent when the section toppled. Outside, even on a modular section which has not fallen, you may see this telltale
line of slight shingle anomaly, parallel to the eaves
Frequently-Asked Questions about inspection of the condition of manufactured homes, mobile homes, mobile home or trailers or doublewide homes
Question: where can I find the HUD Section 184 Red Tag on my Home?
Where would the section 184 Red Tag be located on a 1983-West single wide? - Suzanne
Reply: first see if your home qualifies under HUD Section 184 financing rules
Suzanne,
Section 184 refers to manufactured home financing assistance available in the United States from HUD. A red tag indicating that the home qualifies for financing under Section 184 is installed on homes that are eleigible. If the Section 184 red tag is missing, the house is not eligible for Section 184 financing. Only manufactured homes built after June 15, 1976 qualify. The tag is mounted outside on the rear of the unit.
This HUD financing pertains to manufactured homes sometimes referred to as "doublewides". So even though your 1983 single wide is newer than the 1976 cutoff year, it may not qualify as qualifying housing by the HUD rules, and it won't bear the RED TAG you are asking about.
Other HUD Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program rules that determine if a home qualifies for 184 financing (and thus will bear a red tag) include: [1]
The manufactured home bears a red tag certifying that its construction complies with the Federal Manufactrued Home Construction & Safety Standards
The home mortgage term is for 30 years or less, covers the unit and its building site or an appropriate site lease document was executed
The home was built after 15 June 1976
One- to four-family principal residences that qualify as standard housing under Section 184 (including units in condominiums, planned unit developments, and manufactured housing that is permanently affixed to the property, but not including cooperatives), fee simple properties located on Indian trust land or land located in an "Indian area"
The home is classified and taxed as "real estate" - this will exclude
single-wides
homes lacking a suitable skirt and adequate insulation (in freezing climates) to protect the mechanicals
homes that are not new and/or that were moved from another site and homes not mounted on a permanently-attached foundation system with their transportation axles and tongue removed (i.e. the home can't easily be simply towed to another site)
homes located in a 100 year flood plain (including the level of ground below the home or its basement or crawl space
Question: what types of windows are found on mobile homes?
I have a question not a comment. Hope you can get back to me on this. We are buying a 1974 mobile home. What kind of windows are in that type of home. Are they roll outs or pull up windows? - Linda
Reply:
You can see some common mobile home window types in this article:
- sliders
- double hung windows
- single hung windows
- jalousie windows
Watch out: At least on older homes these windows are often leaky and may have caused hidden wall and floor damage. Check under the carpet or in the crawl area of your home, especially in floor areas below windows or doors.
Question: Who is responsible for the mailbox serving my mobile home ?
problem who is responsible for mail boxes the property owner o the resident ? ranaheim@roadrunner.com
Reply:
Ranaheim
I don't think there is a single right answer to the mailbox responsibility question as it varies perhaps by local jurisdiction and certainly by the practical matter of where the mailboxes are physically located.
In general a building or home owner is responsible for the condition of a mailbox that is attached to or part of their home or that is on their own property.
If the mailboxes at your home are grouped in a gang in a row at the front of your complex, you might expect the property owner to maintain the support system for the mailboxes. But certainly any individual who cares about their mail delivery will want to make sure that their box is secure, and that it remains accessible in all weather (such as deep snow cover). dent
Questions & Answers regarding this article
Questions & answers about inspection of the condition of mobile homes, mobile home or trailer or doublewide problem diagnosis procedures, & their care, repair, & maintenance.
Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
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.
[1] Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, web search 1/5/2012, original source: portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/ih/homeownership/184 - Quoting:
The Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program is a home mortgage specifically designed for American Indian and Alaska Native families, Alaska Villages, Tribes, or Tribally Designated Housing Entities. Section 184 loans can be used, both on and off native lands, for new construction, rehabilitation, purchase of an existing home, or refinance.
Also see Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae
[2] Native American Housing Loan Guarantee Program HUD Section 184 Loans At A Glance, FannieMae, web search 1/5/12, original source: efanniemae.com/sf/mortgageproducts/pdf/section184aag.pdf
"Modular Home Construction, special defects and inspection methods" Dan Friedman, NY Metro ASHI Seminar, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, White Plains NY, October 4, 1996
"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
Thanks to home inspector Peter Bennett for eagle-eye editing assistance regarding spelling at this web article series. Little Silver, NJ 07739
Office 732-758-9887 Fax 732-758-8993 Cell 732-245-9817 afullhouseinspectionco@gmail.com
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.
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.
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.
"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
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