Welcome and thanks for reading our Summer 2004 newsletter. In this issue you will find:

* Building a skylight cover
* Vinyl skirting tips
* A story from 'The Life of a Mobile Home Repair Man'
* Repair manual updated for 2004
* Picture of the season
* Tidbits on air conditioners

When it comes to brightening up a room, nothing beats a skylight. Natural, abundant light shining in making everything bright and cheery. But skylights also have their drawbacks. During the summer they can let in a lot of heat making your air conditioner work harder. And during the winter they are a great place for heat to escape. I love the light my skylights create, but I wasn't sure they were worth the extra utility costs until I came up with a clever insulated cover that allows the light to still shine through.

Basically what I did was hang an insulated window blind over the skylight. Even when closed, the blind lets light through but provides an insulating factor to keep the hot summer sun out and the winter heat mostly in. The blind can be opened if you wish to enjoy the natural skylight, but opening and closing my home-made version isn't the easiest, so I normally just leave it closed (i.e. skylight covered). You can buy special blinds specifically designed for skylights that open and close easily, but they are spendy so I'll show you my own 'cheaper' version.

Two Types of Blinds

When shopping for insulated blinds, you'll discover two types. One is a single-cell blind, and the other is a double-cell blind. Both have kind of a honey-comb shape to them. I used a single-cell for mine because it was less expensive and let more light through. The double-cell is more expensive but would provide more insulation. I bought regular white blinds which matched my white ceiling and would probably let in more light than colored blinds. Illustrated to the right is a double-cell blind.

Aluminum Track

I held the blind up to the skylight with an aluminum track. I chose aluminum because it's lightweight, won't rust and already a nice silver color. Your track could be made out of metal and painted if so desired. I bought 1-1/2" L-shaped aluminum and made a box the right size to fit over the skylight. I also took into consideration where I would be mounting the track and made it such a size so the mounting screws would find wood. I fastened the track together using rivets for neatness and to keep it smooth on the inside for opening and closing the blind.

Then I built mounting brackets out of scrap pieces of the L-shaped aluminum. Again, I rivetted the brackets to the track and predrilled holes for the screws. I also drilled bigger holes in the track so I could feed a screwdriver up through to drive in the screws.

Installing the Blind

Next cut the blind to fit the track. Most likely the store where you bought the blind will make the cut for you. If not, make the cut using a power miter saw. To be safe, I would not cut the blind until you have the track made. Once the track is made, cut the blind so it's a half inch shorter than the inside width of the track. This should allow the blind to open and close smoothly without binding.

Then I fastened the blind to one end of the track after cutting a hole through the aluminum for the string to hang down. On the other end of the track I drove 3/4" screws up through the aluminum channel for the bottom edge of the blind to hook on when in the closed position.

Then with at least one helper, I hoisted the system up andfastened it to the ceiling. When fastening, make sure you are keeping the track square. One way to tell if you are square is to measure from the upper left corner to the lower right corner. Then measure from the upper left corner to the bottom right corner. If you are square, these measurements will be the same.

VINYL SKIRTING TIPS
by Mark Bower

Whether you are installing new vinyl skirting or repairing your old, here's some tips to make your skirting stay put and look better.

  Use metal rods called wind-rods (left) to keep the   skirting from blowing out of the top track. The rods slide   down in the seam of the skirting and hook up under the   lip of the top track. Use them in every second or third   seam. They are available here.

Make your corners look neat by notching and wrapping around both the bottom and top track. Pictured right is how to notch the bottom track. Pictured far right is how to notch the top face piece.

(far right) The skirting itself should also be folded around the corner. Notice how neat the bottom and top track look after being notched and folded around the corner.

(right) Secure the skirting to the bottom track using screws to prevent blow-outs. DO NOT SCREW THE SKIRTING TO THE TOP TRACK, use only the windrods.


Did the weed-eater get the best of your skirting? This white stick-it-n-forget-it repair tape sticks forever and makes the repair practically invisible. Available here.

A circular saw makes quick work of cutting vinyl skirting. Be sure to either use a fine-toothed backwards sawblade, or a solid metal-cutting blade. I prefer the metal-cutting blade as there's less pieces that fly up. A pair of tin snips also works good for cutting vinyl skirting.


A STORY FROM 'THE LIFE OF A MOBILE HOME REPAIR MAN'
by Mark Bower

I woke up to a rainy early summer day. I said to myself that I can't do much outside, so might as well get some paperwork done. I settled into my office chair and fired-up the computer.

About an hour into my paperwork I get a frantic call from a local manufactured home dealer. One of their new-home customers has water coming in through the roof. The customer is very upset and their service guys are unavailable. The dealer asked if I'd be available to take care of the problem. The house is 40 miles away.

I agreed to go take care of the problem. I found my rain coat, loaded-up on roof repair supplies, and drove the 40 miles to the house with the leaky roof. I entered the home and the concerned customer showed me the wall where water had been running down. I looked up to the ceiling and so no drips or stains. The customer thought that was wierd too.

Along the wall were a couple of shelves. I looked at the shelves and nearly burst out laughing. I held my composure and told the customer I've discovered the problem. "Can you fix it?" she asked. I responded that it would only take me a minute. I then reached up to the top shelf and removed an over-watered plant. Problem solved! The customer was so embarrassed she then called the dealer and apologized.

Read the Press Release

The perfect Summer Helper for do-it-yourselfers working on their mobile home! This 125 page book is written by us at mobilehomerepair.com, the professionals who are out in the field every day repairing manufactured homes. The book shows actual pictures from projects we were hired to do.

Designed for homeowners as well as contractors, "The manual for manufactured/mobile home repair and upgrade" is packed full of useful repair techniques. But it's more than just doing repairs, it's also about upgrading and improving a manufactured home. For instance, not only will you learn how to stop a metal roof from leaking, you'll also discover an inexpensive way to replace it. Want to relevel your own home? This manual gives you step by step instructions. Need to replace your waterlines? Then you can't miss the information found here.

Even if you don't do your own repairs, this manual will give you invaluable knowledge of how a repair should be performed so when you do seek a contractor, you know the right questions to ask. Written by us, this manual should be required reading for every owner of a manufactured home.

	Anchors in Rock: If your soil is rock, then this is the machine you need to drill your anchor holes. This picture was taken this past June in the Florida Keys. Doesn't matter if you live in a manufactured home or camper, both are anchored the same.

TIDBITS ON AIR CONDITIONERS
from LemarEMC.com

Is it cheaper to use the air conditioner or the whole house fan in my home? A typical whole house fan takes less than a nickel's worth of electricity per hour of use. A central air conditioner can be more than 20 cents an hour. Using a whole house fan whenever summer temperatures and humidity are low instead of air conditioning will save money. However, a whole house fan can only cool your home to the temperature of the outside air. If it is hotter outside than inside, turn the whole house fan off and use space fans to circulate room air. Never operate the whole house fan when using the air conditioner.

Will using ceiling fans while I am air conditioning my home save money? Recent studies of homes in Florida show that ceiling fans often do not save on air conditioning costs. Most homeowners used the fans, but kept the thermostat setting for the air conditioner at the same level as if the fans were not operating. While their comfort may have improved, they did not save money. To reduce cooling costs, set the thermostat for the air conditioner 5 degrees higher than normal and use ceiling fans to create a cooling breeze.

Should I shade the outdoor compressor unit for my air conditioner? Blocking the sun from the outdoor compressor will improve its efficiency, but not dramatically. Be certain that if you shade the unit, you do not block air circulation. Keep grass and shrubbery clear of the unit, and never enclose the compressor with fencing or a deck that would block airflow.

What is the best brand of replacement air conditioner? The name on the equipment is not nearly as important as the quality of the installation. First consider the unit's size. Many air conditioners are too big. Bigger units cost more to buy and operate, and don't adequately remove humidity. Have the contractor do a computer calculation to determine the proper size.

If you are replacing the air conditioner's outdoor compressor unit, make certain that the model selected matches the indoor equipment. Installing a new, high efficiency outdoor unit without upgrading the indoor equipment may not provide significant savings.

Don't install a new air conditioner without repairing the ductwork. Many homes lose more than 20 percent of total heating and cooling due to leaks in the ductwork. Seal the ductwork in your home with mastic and insulate both the supply and return ductwork.

If you have a picture or repair tip to share, please e-mail it to us.

FEATURE YOUR HOME
Are you proud of your home? New or old, your home could be featured at the top of our seasonal newsletter. Simply submit via e-mail a clear picture with good lighting and you could see your home at the top of our next newsletter!