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Yet Anothet skirting question

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 12:17 am
by BSkopnik
First of all. I would like to thank the help I received on a much earlier post about some reno’s. Now have a very open concept living.

Now to the dirt. Seemingly long winded.

With the addition of all the 1/2” drywall I’ve been really considering (for two reasons) putting in a mild load bearing insulated(spray) pony wall around the entirety of the mobile. We are on a slab. 2x6 PT plate. Run at 24” O.C. Wedge it in and bolt it into the slab. Now on one side of the mobile(24’) the slab continues. What would be the ideal way to help seal the plate off from water on that side. Rest of the home will have a drip cap, since it all slab edge.

Second reason I am wanting this is mice problems. When I pulled apart the bathroom right down to the floor joists the amount of mice crap I found in all the insulation was disgusting. So I will be removing all the underbelly insulation. With the skirt wall insulated and the geo I feel under the house is warm even in winter, would replacing all the floor insulation be advised(probably answer my own question here with yes...).

My crawl space is just inside of 36” to bottom of floor joists not the frame steel beams. Then comes question about venting. The mobile will be receiving a vinyl siding update as well.

TLDR;
Best way to seal a sill plate on a continued slab.
Insulated skirting be enough or re-insulate?
Skirting venting?

Re: Yet Anothet skirting question

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 11:45 am
by mdnagel
Knowing where you are at would be a big help.

You at least want a vapor barrier (which the original belly wrap material is).

Venting is a can of worms. I'm going to forgo vents except on the ends: vent during winter, close up for summer. I've got a slab with plastic on top of it.

Slab that I've got under my home goes out about 1/2' (or more) along the length of the home, front and back. Greg says that that's OK. I'd prefer it not to be this way, but it would be too much work to change this. There's pressure treated "sills" for the skirting framing. The wood panels that were installed are rotting and I'll be replacing with steel roofing panels.

Re: Yet Anothet skirting question

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 12:19 pm
by BSkopnik
Sorry, I’m on Vancouver island in BC, Canada. Needless to say the winter here is just wet. Minimal snow but rain. Under the home the slab is exposed. It’s been used and is used as a functioning crawlspace. Wired with lights and everything. We’re on a well so the pressure tanks and plumbing from the well are all accessible. Was thinking just using a sill gasket under the pt plate just for breathing?

Re: Yet Anothet skirting question

Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2019 11:52 am
by mdnagel
Ah, same climate as I am in!

I heat with wood, in which case it's a little hard to identify my actual energy consumption. I estimate about 5 cords of alder and maple (obtained from my property) per heating season: this from October through April. This keeps my 1377 sq-ft house more than warm.

I'd look at your building codes to see what they say about venting. I just did this for my area and was surprised that they're a lot less energetic about venting than I hear folks here "recommending." I have a thread about it here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11438

I have pressure treated 2x4 as the "sill" for the skirt framing. I figure it's been in service for 20 years or so, and, despite the amount of water that it's been exposed to over that time (I've recorded over 70" of rain here in one year!) it still seems fine.

I'll be repairing the underbelly (not sure my exact strategy yet as I need to evaluate the entirety of the situation). Wood (rotting) skirting will be replaced with metal roofing material: I'll only have minimal venting at both ends on access panels: refer to my above link. Bottom of skirting will rest on Z-channel that I'll attach to the sill; this will keep the panel edge from being in direct contact with the concrete, and to allow for condensation to drain away. I am still contemplating whether I'll look to insulate the skirting: it would likely be placing insulation panels between the skirt framing.

My backyard is a continual slope toward the house. I have done some channeling in the past and am now in the process of grading a slope away from the rear portion of the slab. The ground wasn't prepared very well by whoever first did the work: uneven, with high spots that were slightly higher than the slab! My grading will essentially create a "V" away from the slab in which the water will, hopefully, drain off to the wings (where I have previously created drainage).