New set up questions. Pipes, skirting.

[ttiiggy]

I moved a double-wide. Setting it up now on a NEW lot. Having to install everything.
Putting this on concrete stringers. Hopefully this is a permanent installation.
Needs new shingles on roof and new siding.
I am trying to figure out the right way to do water and sewer pipes and skirting.
I have seen a number of different ways, some seem better than others.

What happens with pipes if you Re-Level, Raise or Lower?
I hope I shouldn't have to re-level, just thinking ahead and thinking about others trailers.

Water pipe:
Heat tape? How far underground? Insulated?
What if I need to replace heat tape underground?

Shut off valve down there? I got a ball valve but didn't put it in yet.
I have seen some that have a short yard hydrant buried deep that would shut off water underground if the trailer was going to be vacant for a while.
I could just shut off the well pump.
A yard hydrant seems like a nice idea but I am not coming up with what kind of permanent hose to attach from the hydrant to the trailer.


Sewer pipe:
Should I have a ~5 foot section horizontal before it goes into the ground?
It just seems that most that I have seen had some pipe laying on the ground before it goes down.
Mine is real close and I don't have to have hardly any horizontal pipe.
I am just wondering if it is necessary.

Where the sewer pipe goes into the ground under the trailer, I am going to have ~3 feet of drop into the ground to get down to the level of where the pipe is then sloped the rest of the way to the drainfield.
For this 3 foot drop, would it be best to drop straight down or go down at ~45 degree angle?


Skirting:
I don't have this part figured out yet.
What I took off was plywood cut into 2' widths, 8 feet long.
Supported every 4 feet with a 2x4 going up.
No insulation.

What should I do?
Insulated or not? If yes, SprayFoam or rigid? Definitely NOT fiberglass.
What to use for skirting? Vinyl siding? T-111? Metal delta rib?
Since I need to do new siding should I make it the same as skirting and not have a transition? Should I just run siding clear down to the ground?

Options I have been considering to use for skirting support:
1) Some kind of timbers on the ground for skirting to hit against.
2) Timbers on the ground for a skirting wall to sit on.
3) Just build a 2x6 wall with a treated bottom plate as a skirting wall.
4) This is the one that I am leaning most toward: Pour a 6x6 concrete rim for a skirting wall to sit on. This would give a concrete section for the dirt to be against and not have the wall rotting out. I have had people say that this won't work because frost will heave on it. I don't plan to dig down 3 feet to get below frost line. I don't see what is the difference between frost heaving on a 6x6 line of concrete or a wooden 6x6.


Anybody have suggestions, warnings, encouragement, discussion? Thanks.

[Greg]

Hi & welcome. I'll add my thoughts on how I would set it up.

Since I don't know where you are located I'll go with my area in CNY.
Pipes. Underground, below the frost line 3-4' here until you make the connector line to the home. Use PEX and a ball valve, also a ball valve INSIDE the home to allow for fast shutoff in case of a major leak. Yard hydrants I doubt will allow for enough flow to the home. Wrap & heat tape the pipe above ground.

Sewer pipe. I don't think there is any reason for a horizontal run if you don't need one, but remember the trap & a clean out.

Skirting, I used Steel w/ rigid foam insulation. You can trench the bottom of the skirting and fill with gravel about 6" deep, that makes it about critter proof.

Greg

[1987Commodore]

I wouldn't run the siding right down to the ground, frost heave would be more damaging this way. No matter what type of skirting you use, make sure there is provision for adequate venting. Cover the ground with heavy plastic sheeting to reduce moisture. Trapped moisture underneath can destroy floors. Neighbors on either side of me had unventilated skirting, and both have had to do major floor replacement.
I think having poured concrete under the skirting is a bad idea. When you get frost heave, a much larger area will move, causing more damage, then the concrete will break up eventually. You could consider using concrete pavers set on the ground as a base. Greg's mention of steel going into the ground is good, because I just have vinyl skirting on top of the ground, and critters have tunneled under it.
Heat tape only goes on the water line above ground. Some people have been able to get away with only wrapping the line in 6" fiberglass insulation. A tip - wrapping the outside of the fiberglass in plastic will prevent air movement which can cause freeze up. Make sure to insulate and seal the connection into the home. If air can move freely through there, it will freeze. I used spray foam to seal the holes in the floor under the sinks and tubs where the supply/drains penetrated the floor.
Sewer line - just make sure there are no low spots where liquids can pool. My sewer runs probably 20 feet above ground, right next to the skirting. I also wrapped that in fiberglass, covered with a plastic wrap. No issues in 24 years.
As far as re leveling, The water supply will be flexible piping, so no problem there. In your case, the sewer might pose an issue. You need to find a way to allow a little flex there to allow for movement. That's where a longer above ground run would prove beneficial.

[Greg]

Frost heave is why you use gravel, the skirting will slide through the gravel when the ground does heave.

Ventilation, 1 sq.ft. per 150 sq/ft. of floor space. I recommend insulation behind the skirting. Make vent panels that you can open up in warm weather and seal up as tight as possible in cold.

Most areas REQUIRE a full cement pad under the home as part of the code. Check with the building codes officer in your area.

Greg

[ttiiggy]

remember the trap & a clean out.
Greg

Are you saying I need a trap in the sewer drain pipe under the MH?
There wasn't before.
I don't remember seeing a sewer trap under other units I have had to mess with.

[Greg]

You need a main trap somewhere, there may or may not be one under the floor. I would check codes to find out if a ground trap is required. In the parks there is a ground trap at the connection of every home.

If you are installing the system cleanouts are just plain too easy to install and have it there if you need it.

Greg