insulating the flooring in a 1981 Tidwell home single wide

[ib1pimp]

I have a 1981 Tidwell mobile home model number 2-12x60k1b and I need to insulate the whole floor. All the insulation has fallen down. I measured between the floor joist and its mostly 22 1/2 from inside to inside, some are 22 3/4. I can't find rolled insulation that width any where. I don't really know of any other way to insulate it. It's not that big of a deal in the summer, but when it's winter the electric bill goes sky high. After looking around on here I believe that the underside of the mobile home is called the belly. I'm not really sure how these things are built but it looks like there is a canvas sheet draped out on the floor and then a frame layed out on it and then insulation blowed in between the floor joist and then the flooring layed. Since i can't take it back apart and do it that way I need to find something to repair it.
There have been several several major water leaks over the years and they ruined all the floors in this home. I've replaced all the floors, but now I need to insulate every thing. I'm open to any kind of sugestions, knowlege, and or solutions. I also have a couple of places where I can see light during the day in cracks where the floor meets the wall.
Thank you in advance for you support in dealing with this matter.

[Greg]

The underbelly is usually just a big blanket with insulation draped under the home. You really do not want to attach the insulation to the floor joists as in stick built homes. The reason is that you want to block the cold BUT you also need the warm air to flow under the floor to keep the pipes warm. the water pipes usually run near the heat ducts and the heat from them keep the pipes from freezing. Belly material allows the home to breath plus if you have a water leak it will allow water through. some have used Tyvec or Mark has belly material in the site's store.

Tight skirting with no gaps or holes helps a lot also. you can also insulate the skirting. Greg

[Robert]

This was moved to the mobile home repair forum.


Thanks,
Robert

[loveoldtrux]

H'mmm... my double is the same way - blasted cats (They are constanly waking me up at 2-3 in the morning walking on the ducts and making it sound like somebody is breaking in - crunch crunch / creak creak)!! I was thinking taking the 2" Isocyonurate (spelling?...) found at Home Depot in 4 X 8 sheets and installing up against the floor bottom. I wonder how that would work? I've already got the pipes wrapped and plugged into electricity. Then I could also wrap the duct work - I see duct wrap avialable to....
Whatcha' think?...

[Robert]

Seal underpinning and use traps to catch the cats.

IF you wrap the ducts, then ALL water piping must be insulating and know it will not freeze.



Thanks,
Robert