Should siding be sealed? Light shows all the way around.

[Billy123]

http://www.mrrepairs.net/mh/10-06-13/DSCN5943.JPG

Here is a picture of what i am talking about. It's not the greatest picture and I am sure there are better pictures in one of the folders on my site.

Anyway I have light showing at the bottom of my walls all the way around. The siding is not tight to the wall / sil / rim joists at the bottom nor is it sealed. (meaning between the studs aka nothing but air) This seems to be the way the factory built this trailer. Is there a purpose for this design?

There was literally nothing to protect the inside of my walls from the outdoors. Anything could slither up underneath the siding from the bottom and it did. (like mouses ect ect)

What is the deal with this kind of design? Is there anything I can do about this?

[steelworkersgal]

I have that same problem and you can see the outside light and in the winter you can feel a draft. I also am wondering if this can be sealed with some thing other then insulation.

I noticed your wiring is on the outside of the studs is that normal for all mobel homes. For some reason i thought it would run through the studs????

[ponch37300]

Are the stud cavities going to be insulated? I don't see any reason you can't spray some expandable foam in there to seal it up. I don't think it would be a vent for anything. My only concern would be if condensation forms on the inside of the metal siding due to temperature differences on the outside to inside. But if it's insulated good that should minimize condensation.

[Greg]

You have a double edge sword there. If you seal it, you run the risk of condensation pooling. If you don't you run the risk of leaks & drafts. As Ponch said good insulation and vapor barrier should help.

Greg

[calderhill]

Another "I just did it". That's exactly what mine looked like except they notched the back of the studs for the wire. Since, like you, I had the whole trailer wide open I opted to seal it all air tight. My exterior studs are a real 2 by 4 and I filled anything and everything with foam, insulation and/or caulk. You want air, open a window!

[steelworkersgal]

This past tuesday I had an electrian come and move some outlets and install new GFI's on the studs as we are installing new cabinets and when he removed the thin drywall. The insulation that was in the walls did not fill the cavity and at the bottom of the wall where it meets the floor you can see all kinds of light and an nice draft coming up from that area. So since he had opened the walls i finished removing the rest of the drywall and insulation and OMG the wasp nests and mud dobbers nest and some of them were still alive but moving very slow since it was extremely cold outside. I replaced all the old insulation with kraft vapor barrier R13, I stuffed insulation in the areas i seen light coming up from the floor and by the time i finished stapling the new insulation to the studs i could tell a big difference. There was just a little bit of a draft but i believe that was coming from the other areas that are not properly instulated and once we put up the drywall that should fix it until we replace all the insulation in the home.