Bought used mini, need advice

[hhb]

I've been lurking here for a while and made a few posts in anticipation of what's about to happen; we have now made a deal on a mini home. We've owned a couple of old houses and renovated them, but this is the first structure made in the last 50 years we've ever lived in It's a 1987 64' x 16', 3 bedroom 1.5 bath with the master on one end and the other two on the other. Pretty neat layout, it's open concept with galley kitchen and no hallway anywhere. Don't know the make & model but it's a local company probably. Got a great deal on it (I think), it's a bank repo ($15k). It needs some updating and roof shingles for sure, but nothing serious.

Anyhow, we have our own land where this is going (bought last year). There is already a well & septic (old house burnt down, not ours at the time). It's in the country, a few acres 1/2 woods. There's an old barn there too. So, big concern is going to be mice. I had considered pouring a cement pad for the mobile, then putting a solid pressure treated wood framed skirting around it which I think would give a good solid "foundation". However, the budget is getting tight after I move it, hook up the well, power & septic and renovate a little bit. It's going right where the old house was which has been well filled in and mostly gravel (should drain well, it's at the top of a good hill too).

What advice would you have for skirting in the country? I'm thinking treated OSB or plywood, buried at least a foot in the ground, or even a solid wall of PT fence boards on an interior frame. At this point I'm probably going to skip the cement pad to save some money. If it was going in the mud I might rethink that, but it's basically a gravel lot. BUT, since I have no experience with mobiles, I'm quite possibly overlooking products meant for the purpose. When I looked at the mobile it seemed like there was white vinyl skirting over plywood or something, but it didn't seem to go into the ground and wasn't in good shape. The evidence is the mouse poop we found in the kitchen cabinets and especially around where the water pipe comes up to the water heater.

So, is there any way to skirt these to prevent rodents? Will the gravel help? How far in the ground should the skirting go? Is it OK to use Pentox or some other treatment on wood skirting? Or is there a ready made, simple solution for this purpose that is better?

[Greg S]

Metal roofing material on a pt 2X4 frame works well. Dig a trench about a foot deep and a foot wide, fill it with gravel and set the skirting down into it about 6 inches.
However, and it's a big however, from my experience of living in the country in numerous different homes and the experience of all my park residents you can go to whatever extreme you chose and mice will still find a way in. Do your best then place rat poison under the home to make sure anything that comes in will leave and not return (they eat the poison, seek out water then they die).

[1987Commodore]

Probably the metal roofing would be best for skirting. I have vinyl which is now 27 years old and brittle. I am going to replace the vinyl with metal a little at a time as $ permits. Metal is also impervious to weed eaters.
Mice will tunnel under, so set the skirting at least 6" in the ground, a foot would probably be better.
Remember you have to have ventilation under there, particularly over bare ground. Also you need to provide for access for repairs.
Pouring a slab would be best, But at the least put a heavy plastic vapor barrier over the ground to cut down on moisture.
Mice have easy access to the interior where the plumbing comes through the floor. It seems the manufacturers use a 2'" hole saw to make room for a 1/2" pipe. Do your best to seal those areas. Use spray foam or pack openings with aluminum foil. There will likely be a huge opening cut in the floor under the bath tub for that drain. seal that too.
That will help with the rodent issue, as well as keep you warmer, as it will stop air infiltration.
Also make sure the belly wrap is intact.

Now, since you mention it is an "87, you likely have PB (grey plastic) pipe. Replace it with PEX if at all possible. There was a class action suit over the PB years ago, and it can no longer be used. Actually, the pipe seems to be OK, but the connectors, not so much. They tend to crack and leak, particularly if they are under any stress, and FYI, mobile home floors and water do not mix well.

Also, if I were you, since you have to re-roof, I would use metal roofing with about 2 inches of foam under it. You'll never have to worry about it again, and it will give you the benefit of extra insulation. Also it is lighter than shingles, so less stress on the roof trusses.

[Greg]

Check the articles section for "A better skirting idea".

Greg

[hhb]

Thanks, never occurred to me to use metal roofing. Seems like the way to go. I was thinking of using metal for the roof too, so maybe I'd co-ordinate it and use the same so it matches - except it has blue siding with white trim, so I have no idea what colour to use lol. I don't see what purpose foam underneath of the roofing would serve; isn't the space directly under the shingles & roof decking ventilated on purpose, with the insulation being on top of the ceilings? Or am I missing something?

About the skirting and underneath in general, I saw a switch near the water heater for "light by pump" presumably underneath the home. It's on a well system now, and will be at my place too. I have a submersible in my well however, not a jet pump. So my question is, where do you normally put the pressure tank, switch and so on? Is that also normally under the home? Wouldn't it freeze (I'm in Canada)? I didn't get a good look at the setup that's there, but from what I understand most people around here use "heat tape" on the water supply pipe, and probably insulation around it but I'm not sure about pressure tanks and stuff.

[Greg]

When I had my old place on a well the pressure tank was stuffed in a closet near the water heater.

Greg

[1987Commodore]

The insulation under the metal roof serves at least two purposes, sound insulation and lessening heat gain from sun. If you have cathedral ceilings in the home, there is no attic space. If you have flat ceilings, there is an attic. I got access to my attic in the summer, and it gets unbelievably hot in there, and the heat will radiate down into the living area. Being in Canada, perhaps your insulation package is better. I noticed a difference in inside temperature just by switching from dark brown to light brown shingles. Of course, you may want the heat gain if you are farther north.
I don't know about newer homes, but mine is also an '87, and the ventilation is enough to prevent condensation, but it sure gets hot in the summer.
I would use white roofing and skirting.
I'm on city water here, but I have seen places here where the pump/tank are in a tiny (dog house size) building in the yard, and are heavily insulated with a 100 watt light bulb inside to keep from freezing, hence probably your switch for the light by the pump.