Hello everyone :) My first post accopanied with an issue :\

[krystofurr]

Hi all!

This is my first post but I have been reading the forum for awhile. Everyone here is so informative and helpful! January my fiance and I moved into our first home, a 1976 mobile home and we have a long way to go. We moved in during the winter and what a crazy winter that was. I want to be prepared for the next one and have been looking at everything we can do. One major thing we found after an energy audit was a gigantic hole around the furnace chimney...lol. Besides stuffing insulation in there would anyone know how to go about repairing around it? Or better still how one would go about repairing and insulating step by step. I'm very new to repair stuff as well :\ Here's an image below.
From what I've been reading about mobiles I believe the ceiling tiles are those long sheet rock type tiles and go across from wall to wall of the mobile.

[Greg]

Hi & welcome. The problem in your picture is a common one. Since your furnace is probably in it's own closet you can just cut some sheetrock to fit and use some sheetrock screws to hold the patch& insulation up. No need to match the other ceilings since it won't be seen.
I would recommend Mark's (site owner) book. It covers about every type of problem you may have with your home. Check the "Books & parts" section of the site. Greg

[JD]

You also might want to look at the vent cap. It appears to be leaking pretty good. When you can put insulation in the hole, leave it 1" away from the pipe. When you cut the panel to go around the pipe, a school type compass that draws circles works well. Cut the hole 1/2" larger than the pipe to leave a 1/4" gap all the way around and seal with a heat approved caulking like Tremco Vulkem 116. Might be hard to find locally, so just ask your local home store for the right sealant.

JD

[krystofurr]

Kewl Thanks for the responses guys

Ya I'm definitely looking at getting that book. Alot to learn on these homes that's for sure Do I need a special type of insulation for around it? Or just the normal pink fiberglass stuff? I'm just paranoid that it will catch fire or something in there.

And when you speak about the vent cap Mark, do you mean the one outside that covers the top of it? If so, ours actually blew off in a windstorm and had to get it replaced mid winter.... That might have been why it was leaking.

[steve]

It does not appear that your leak is from a blown off cap..that leak would show up inside the pipe. Check your roof flashing as it appears that is your leak. Be careful with your vent pipe and make sure it is double wall (one pipe inside another) because if it single wall you need to replace it or keep any combustible, including insulation well away from it (6" min). If its double wall you can use fiberglass insulation within 1" (cut another piece of metal 8" tall x 1" larger radius) to be sure it keeps the gap. You should be able to find a piece of metal say 12" x 12" with a hole in the middle the same size as your pipe..this works well to cover the inside (and its fireproof)

[Jim from Canada]

Use insulation that is rated as a fire break. In Canada we use Roxul brand. I don't know if is available in the U.S. but there sould be some type of treated celulose insulation.

Jim

[JD]

Hi Christopher,

This is JD. The stains may be from the blown off cap. I noticed how the stains start at the joint of pipe sections and there is a build up at the seam. I'd just check it out during the next good rain if you feel the roof cap is in good shape and sealed.

JMO

JD