To Instulate or not to insulate....skirting

[NMarie]

Ok, I found out I will probably get the Mobile Home I bid on in a Park in Willits CA. I am the one with termites in the skirting wood. Anyway, I have been looking at skirting options, and I am wondering if anyone can give me advice on whether to insulate the skirting or not.

Willits does receive snow in the winter (maybe 4"-10" total for winter, if at all). The temps range from 20 F winter nights to 100 F summer highs. The water pipes do have heat tape, and the current old skirting is not insulated.

I am torn between vinyl skirting with venting panels (seems hard to insulate) and metal skirting with vents (insulating doeable). I have just recently moved to CA from Wyoming, where you insulate EVERYTHING. Here, my mindset of insulating may not ably.

Also, the water line comes out of the ground outside the skirting and enters through the skirting, so it has to have a heat tape anyway.

Any thoughts.

I've search the other forums, and was not able to find anything like this discussed. Though I sure did find alot of other good and advice and help.

As this is a fixer upper this site will probably be a lifesaver for me.

Thanks for any help. Sorry to be so wordy.

[Yanita]

Hi,

Kind of sounds like our winters here in NC. Personally if your underbelly is in good repair, all pipes are tucked into the insulation and you apply the heat tape as mentioned I would think you would be fine.

Make sure that your skirting is in good condition and to close your vents in the winter.

~Yanita~

[NMarie]

How do you close vents in slotted vinyl skirting? Does it come with that option.? The current old metal skirting has slots also, and I can not see a way to close them off, unless I put tape over them.

[Yanita]

Whoops, sorry thought you said that your new shirting was going to have the vents.

Our last home had the slotted skirting, and your correct, there is no way of closing that off.

There are codes that must be adhered to when placing your vents, I believe it is one vent for every 150 square feet. And I believe there is a code of how large the vent must be.

I am certain that others with the specific knowledge will see this and guide you. We have several forum users from the California area.

Hold tight!

[NMarie]

No big hurry, I'm still trying to figure it all out. Thank you.

[JD]

We work a lot up in the foothills where they do get snow and freezing temps. Today, it was 95 up there. There are very few homes that insulate at the skirting. Whether it is worth the expense or not, I am not sure, but I don't think so. You do want to be sure that the floor insulation and vapor barrier is in top condition under the home.

JMO

[NMarie]

Thanks for the info> Now I just have to find a supplier for the vinyl skirting.

I really appreciate the advice.

[JD]

Hi NMarie,

There are several places out of Sacramento to get the vinyl skirting, but if you would like to save yourself the trip, call Wilbur Mobile Home Services in Lower Lake, CA. 707 994-1890. Ask for Carl and tell him JD referred you to him. He will give you a good price. Him and his son run an excellent mobile home repair business there and he keeps a lot of great bass in that lake for me.

Colors available are a white-white, cameo a creme color, a dove gray and desert tan.

JD