Mobile homes need rain gutters just as much as permanent homes do. Just because they don’t have basements that could flood doesn’t mean damage can’t be done.
First of all, let’s establish exactly what a mobile home is — and is not. Mobile, by definition, means capable of being moved. But not all mobile homes are trailers or Winnebagos. Many of them look like any other home you would see, complete with landscaping and devoid of wheels.
MANUFACTURED VS. MOBILE
You may hear the term manufactured used to describe a mobile home, but that word does not always strictly apply to mobile homes. Many developers nowadays build all their homes on one site and then transport them to individual lots.
You may have passed entire homes on flatbed trucks up on the highway, tagged on the back with “wide load” signs, destined for new developments. Sometimes the walls are shipped in stacks, then connected at the new site. These building methods are unusual, but it doesn’t make the home mobile. After all, the owners likely will not be taking it with them when they move!
FOUNDATIONS
Many mobile homes today sit atop cement slabs, with or without footers (concrete blocks or other types of piers that keep the home off the ground). This provides a foundation for the home, to keep it level and steady, as well as dry.
Many homeowners opt to install skirting to cover the footers and give the home an overall better look. To install skirting, you must first frame the area with lumber. Even if you choose a vinyl skirting of faux stone or brick, the lumber supports must be kept dry to avoid rot.
DANGERS OF STANDING WATER
This is one reason rain gutters are critical on a mobile home. Ripping out and replacing rotting lumber behind skirting is a time-consuming and expensive project.
Worse, if water is allowed to pool under and around your mobile home, it could cause the land to shift and affect the integrity of the footings. Your home may began to lean dangerously and even eventually slide off its footings.
Mobile homes do not always come with gutters, but the reason for this is often because attaching gutters before transport would add several inches to the width of the structure. This could make the move more difficult, and it could require the need for extra permitting.
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT
Don’t make the mistake of thinking your mobile home doesn’t need rain gutters. Especially if your home sits on a slab with no footers, water can seep into the structure generating mold and mildew growth as well as rot.
Call Renovation by Burbach to find out what types of gutters your home needs. Flimsy, fold-out options for sale online and in some stores may be economical, but they may not protect your home adequately. Talk to our experts about installing the right rain gutters for your mobile home.
