Should Mobile Homes Get Property Inspections?

An informed buyer is an educated homeowner.

Permanent-built homes have similar and different features from mobile homes (AKA, manufactured homes). Therefore, the process to inspect a mobile home is different from standard homes. Mobile homes are built differently than standard slab or graded foundation homes. Specific details not reviewed in standard homes must be inspected and addressed. The walls and ceilings, plumbing, electrical, and required foundation are different and require a special inspection.

Walls and Ceilings

Walls and ceilings are manufactured thinner and must meet a different level of inspection and contain less insulation than that required in standard homes. Ceilings and walls not insulated properly will result in excess use of the water heater and/or air conditioner, resulting in higher electrical expenses.

Wind Damage

Wind is a comparatively bigger issue for mobile homes. Wind can cause damage to a mobile home easier than a standard home because the foundation is not as secure. Mobile homes are strapped to the ground to resist wind damage. Florida has segmented wind zones, the strongest being level 3, and covers most of South Florida. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) utilizes special wind zones to establish the severity of high winds in the area that could affect the stability and integrity of a manufactured mobile home.

Structure

A traditional home may or may not have a crawlspace and built upon a concrete slab or cement block footers. Mobile homes, on the other hand, rest on metal legs that can rust over time. Other problems present themselves over time, such as shifting, coming loose from the home’s main support beams, and weakened piers. A traditional home structure made of concrete, of course, will not rust like a mobile home frame.

Electrical Features

Mobile homes have aluminum wiring, whereas, a traditional home uses copper-based wire. Aluminum wires must be inspected and maintained.

Ducts under the mobile home tend to be more compromised than in a traditional home.

Plumbing lines are PVC or CPVC plastic piping. The water lines and connections are more vulnerable to small leaks that result in expensive repairs due to uninsulated exposure beneath the mobile home. Repairs to pipes in a traditional home can also cause damage. Plumbing in a traditional home is fitted together differently, usually made with copper, and insulated. Therefore, such issues tend not to occur as often as in a manufactured home.

Divinity Inspection Service is here to help! If you need a mobile/manufactured home inspection, give us a call and let us provide you with the best service possible.