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frozen mobile home pipes

How to Heat a Mobile Home | Preventing Frozen Mobile Home Pipes

Frozen pipes cause one of the biggest headaches mobile home residents encounter during winter. If this is a recurring problem for you, consider these solutions on how you can start preventing frozen mobile home pipes from happening before the cold winter hits.

What Matters the Most for Frozen Mobile Home Pipes

Frozen mobile home pipes are prone to frozen plumbing because they use smaller and thinner materials. That said, preparing for the ice-cold days should be your top priority. That includes ensuring that your mobile home plumbing system is well protected to avoid the pipes from getting ruptured.

We all know that when water freezes, it expands gradually, causing significant pressure on the pipe until it bursts. You do not want this to happen because exploded mobile home pipes can cause tremendous damage to your possessions and the structural components of your home.

Unfortunately, this kind of frozen mobile home pipes plumbing problem is so common. Manufactured or mobile homes follow slightly different regulations when it comes to their plumbing system. For example, instead of copper pipes, most mobile homes use plastic or softer materials, which are easier to install, lighter, and a better fit. Consequently, the likelihood of a frozen pipe bursting is so much higher for this type of housing comes wintertime.

But fear not! You might not be able to escape winter, but you can always perform preventive maintenance. Fortunately, mobile home repair and maintenance are quite easier to manage than an on-site built house.

How to Beat the Freezing Temperature of frozen mobile home pipes

So, you want to know how to heat a mobile home? As the temperature continues to plummet, mobile homeowners become wary of encountering frozen water pipes. You can beat the freezing temperature by doing an extra bit of attention to your plumbing. Here is a checklist to combat this kind of headache.

1. Check your plumbing system, especially pipes that are located in unheated areas of your mobile home. Repair or upgrade busted pipes. If damaged pipes are left alone, it might cause severe problems to your entire mobile home when winter hits.

Mobile homes use different types of piping and fittings. It is vital to identify the right kind to use when replacing any damaged pipes.

2. Wrap exposed pipes with heat tape and pipe insulation. You can mitigate the potential disaster of a frozen pipe crack from pouring hundreds of gallons of water into your mobile home by covering them with the right heat tape.

There are many types of insulation material options. Looking for a cheap, but substandard product will only add to your frustrations. 

3. If you ever wondered about how to insulate your water pipes under a mobile home, one answer is: Skirting! 

Install or repair mobile home skirting. Skirting for manufactured homes is absolutely necessary. It does not only hide structural clutter or prevent animals from going to the crawlspace but helps in shielding components during the cold days. Ensure that your mobile home skirting is properly vented to prevent moisture and mildew that contributes to freezing. You won’t be able to find mobile home parts at any local hardware shop, however, you can purchase a variety of different skirting types click this link for Mobile Home Parts & Supplies.

4. Install water alarms. Another way for preventing frozen mobile home pipes is to place flood and freeze sensors in your home. By installing a mobile home freeze alarm, you are taking the worry out of your other preventive measures failing, since it will monitor low and high temperature round the clock and immediately send alerts when problems arise.

When the flood or freeze alarm detects a problem, the number that is pre-programmed on the device will get a call. This type of product is designed to safeguard your house and provide an extra level of protection to your family or valuables, so you can have peace of mind wherever you are.

5. During the wintertime, keep the inside of your mobile home heated to prevent pipes from freezing. It is important to remember that pipes can freeze in a matter of hours. Inspect your insulation and space heaters regularly.

6. A vacant mobile home that is going to sit for a couple of months or is going to be repaired during the cold weather, should undergo an extensive interior and exterior inspection. Shut off the main electrical switches and water valves if the home is going to be left empty for weeks. You can also contact your local water department to ask to cut off the water supply of your mobile home temporarily.

There are places that experience severe freezing than others, install faucet protectors, heat tape, and insulation only when necessary. Sealing gaps around windows, doors, and vents could also help make the inside of the mobile home warmer during severe freezing.

how to heat a mobile home

How to Inspect the Plumbing System of Mobile Homes

When it comes to mobile home inspection, you have two options: either hire an experienced mobile home inspector or do it yourself. Whichever you choose to do, it is crucial that a complete and properly conducted inspection is executed to set the seal on winter-proofing your mobile home.

1. Detect early problems by doing a walk-through. Visually inspect the pipe routing. The plumbing layout of manufactured houses typically consists of the supply lines, drain lines, and ventilation lines. Check the entirety of your mobile home and pay close attention to the joint fittings and connections that could potentially cause leakage.

Since mobile homes typically use softer plumbing materials, the pipes could potentially sag over time making the joints and their fastening loose. And these bulging pipes could break and be the source of leaks. Examine each pipe and valves that control the water supply.

The signs of leaks can be seen on the discolored ceiling and flooring. Wet or damp areas of your home that are not caused by accidental water spills or guilty pets are also a telltale sign of broken water piping. Sudden flooding in the kitchen or toilet is also screaming damaged or clogged pipelines.

2. Listen to the sound of running water and check your water reading. A good indicator of leakage is when the water meter is increasing but there is no water flowing in the pipes. Also, always check your water bill for any sudden spike in usage.

3. Check your faucets regularly and ensure that there are no water drips when it is turned off. Examine pipes that are underneath the kitchen or bathroom sinks and immediately unclog pipes if you notice a slow, sluggish drain.

It is important to keep in mind that freeze damage does not only happen to the water supply or heating piping. Even your mobile home drains can freeze as well. Keep the drains clean and empty by draining all the water from the pipes.

Do not wait for disaster to strike before taking action. Place space heaters close to the unprotected pipes to keep them from freezing.

Prevention is Better Than Treatment

The secret to staying warm and cozy during winter is not only through layering your clothes but ensuring that your mobile home is “winterproof”. Educating yourself on how your mobile home plumbing works and what you can do to prevent frozen mobile home pipes will not only save you hundreds of thousands of money but, most importantly, avert potentially dangerous situations from happening. 

Mitigate the amount of repair and replacement you might need to do by executing preventive measures such as:

  • Inspecting your plumbing system early on
  • Replacing already damaged pipes
  • Unclogging drains
  • Installing extra protection for your mobile home such as skirting and freeze sensors
  • Performing maintenance regularly

If you have been dealing with plumbing issues for a long time and would rather sell your mobile home, then give us a call at Colorado Mobile Homes! We will give a fair cash offer or help you find the right buyer for your manufactured home! If you’d like to make repairs yourself, then visit the Mobile Home Parts Store and click here to receive 10% off your entire order by using the promo code AFFD110

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