Originally published on mobilehomeliving.
The leaves are turning all sorts of pretty colors, football is in full swing and you don’t want to think about winter and snow. But you have to, there are certain things that must be done by every home owner before old man winter gets too close.
It’s time to winterize your mobile home! Taking just a couple hours in a weekend by doing quick and easy projects can make living in a mobile home a little bit easier on the pocket during the hard months of winter. Here is the top 4 must dos for all mobile home’s:
Loosen the Tie-Downs
- If you live in an area where the ground freezes solid, it’s suggested to slightly loosen your home’s tie-downs. Frozen ground can shift as much as three inches during the winter and tie-downs leave no place for the manufactured home to move, often causing serious structural damage. When winter is over, remember to tighten tie-downs again in the spring.
Check the Skirting
- Check the skirting on your home, it should be secure, but not too tight that it completely stops ventilation. Carefully examine your exterior siding and replace any missing or damaged fasteners or screws. Once winter arrives, make sure to shovel snow and ice away from skirting so it doesn’t get dented, which will cut off the air supply required by the furnace.
Check the Vents
- Skirting vents should be closed for the upcoming winter months and open in the summer. It’s easy to lose track of all winter preparations, but with automatic foundation vents you don’t have to worry about remembering to open or close your vents.
Inspect Your Furnace
- Take a closer look at your furnace, inspecting the blower motor and vacuuming any accumulated dirt. Check the exhaust vent from of the furnace and clear any debris from the vent pipe and be sure to keep the roof exhaust vent clear of excess snow build-up. Most manufactured home furnaces draw combustion air from beneath the home, so it’s suggested to keep four to six vents in the skirting to allow free air passage. Please take a few moments and get these done, you can save money and by checking your furnace and it may just save your life! Since you’ve already found us, I want you to keep coming back to read Mobile Home Living! I joke but this is very serious, do you remember the last time you really checked out that furnace? Get it done, please!
