Mobile home inspections are a great way to get some extra knowledge and experience on the side, without paying for a degree in mobile home inspection.
Many times as inspectors we get into our cars and go for a walk around the rest of the property, taking notes and asking questions. This is very helpful as it helps you expand your knowledge as an inspector by asking questions and providing solutions to problems that may arise.
By going around with a notebook and a pen you are also recording information such as what type of water service there is, whether there is plumbing in the property or not, if there is electricity available in the form of power or not, etc. These are some important aspects that you will discuss with the client when checking up on the property.
Contents:
Interior walls
Is the interior wall lined with carpet, or is there only one way in and out of the mobile home? Are there doors and windows? Look for clues such as entrances and exits, lines within the space, and evidence of life.
If the mobile home has no exterior walls, look for evidence of a foundation. If it has an exterior wall, look for lineaments that indicate where doors and windows might be.
When inspecting a tent-style mobile home, pay special attention to its roof. A flat-top roof will not protect your child from weather very well, as it would be prone to damage from heavy rains. A sloped-top roof may help prevent water coming up through the base of the mobile home in heavy storms.
Also pay attention to any wind vanes or shelters on the mobile home to assess its condition.
Windows
Having window spaces is an integral part of mobile home design. These windows can be used as a passive or active safety feature by putting them up or down with the unit.
To determine if a mobile home has windows, look for openings such as doors, entryways, or places to install glass. If you see any windows, congratulations! You have built a great home!
If you have children in your home, look out for potential dangers such as open windows and potential falls. If there are no visible dangers, then congratulations again! You have built a great home!
Openly-viewed solar exposure is a strong sign that your mobile home will be comfortable in extreme weather conditions. Heated environments will cause dryness in the skin and moisture loss which will prove beneficial to your unit.
Invisible windows are the preferred option when it comes to building comfort into the unit. By using double-insulated taped construction and placing these openings away from heat sources, it can remain confidential.
Doors
Most mobile homes have a door for either the inside or outside. When looking at a mobile home, the first thing to do is determine if there is an outside door or if there is an outside walkway to the property.
If there is an outside door, then look for signs of opening and closing. Does it open and close easily? Is it rustic looking? Does it match the interior or exterior space you are viewing?
Look for signs of entrance and exit such as openings in liners, paths to ensure your child can’t get trapped. A lot of times when children are involved, these areas are put up with little regard for safety.
The roof
The majority of mobile homes are built on a slope, which means they require a roof. A flat, horizontal roof is how most people build off of.
A sloped or inclined roof is much more cost effective than a level one and two. An incline requires a second set of eyes to make sure it is lined up with the ground.
The size of the mobile home does not always correlate to the size of the roof. A small mobile home with a large roof will not be that much more cost effective than a larger mobile home with a small roof.
The easiest inspection route is to start at the top and work your way down. This can be done by checking for water or occupancy, or by adding some safety features such as guardrails and escape routes.
Floors
It is important to investigate the flooring in your mobile home. There are a few reasons to inspect the floor in your mobile home.
Mobile homes are built with floors that can beault supported by walls and ceilings. These floors are typically cork or vinyl with a rug on them.
These supports can be pipes, ceilings, or even backs of seats or tracks. Many times these supports are hidden by many thick dust sheets and blankets that lie on them.
If you find anything wrong with the floor, it is important to call a pest company so they can come out and fix the problem. A pest company can be anyone who comes in contact with poison or material that kills unwanted guests or people.
Under the mobile home
As mentioned earlier, mobile homes are built on solid ground. This means they must be able to afford the reinforcements that are needed to protect them from the elements.
This also means that they must have it installed under their mobile home. The reinforced area must be visible and accessible through a gap in the mobile home.
Gaps in reinforcement can happen when weather conditions or seasons change, which is a good example. For example, it snowed recently so someone can now inspect their mobile home to see if it is insulated properly.
Inspecting your mobile home should be done by a professional though. There are some things that are hard to tell if you do it yourself, such as whether or not you can move an inner panel to find the gap.
The foundation
Once a mobile home is purchased, the next step is to determine where it will be located. Is it attached to another mobile home or separated as its own unit?
Mobile homes are built on two main foundations: the joists and subfloor. The joists define the space and determine how the mobile home is configured.
Subfloor requires a septic system to drain excess liquid from household waste.
Seams and seals
The floor of a mobile home is called the ground surface. It is made of hard concrete or vinyl rubberized turf called base cloth that extends down to the subfloor.
Mobile homes are built on top of this ground surface and along the sides to create the shell. These walls are joined together with exterior doors and windows, making it a complete unit.
The outside of the mobile home is usually painted and marked with external paint or marking paint, such as markers or pavement patterning. These markings help in future pest control requests because they will stand out as a sign of recent treatments.
Inspecting a mobile home for pests can be tricky, due to its small size and exposed base cloth.