Did any manufactured homes come with eaves from the factory, or have them as site-installed options?
We're needing the roof replaced on our 24 x 48 Kentwood (built in 1985) with an attached 24 x 20 garage. Both the house and garage have eaves overhanging about 18", looking just like a normal stick-built home. Looking at the house, I can't tell anything was 'added-on', and most people mistake it for a stick-built home until we say otherwise. But I don't have access to the attic, so can't really discern the underlying structure.
Labor and Industries in our state (WA) requires a permit for putting a new roof on any manufactured home. One of the many contractors we've had out is concerned about the eaves in that it could open a huge can of worms when the L & I inspector comes out and accuses them of being added on illegally. Interestingly, none of the other contractors mentioned this at all. I'm not sure if that means they didn't think it would be an issue with the inspector, or just were not planning to pull the permit. We also have a shingled gable roof over our 8 x 8 front porch, which is tied into the eaves and the main roof. I know THAT could not have come with the house from the factory. Nobody has mentioned a thing about that.
Thoughts? Do we have something to worry about?
Aaron
Eaves from factory?
Moderators: Greg, Mark, mhrAJ333, JD
I think I would contact both your local building inspector and L&I and get their thoughts on your plan. It may be as simple as submitting written plans. I would also find out who has the final say on the plan and just how strict they really are.
It is much easier to do this BEFORE you start rather than back pedal.
Greg
It is much easier to do this BEFORE you start rather than back pedal.
Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Greg,
Thanks for the quick response, that sounds like a reasonable plan. It's a good thing our roof isn't leaking - yet. So we're not desperate to get this done. But it is the rainy season here, for the next 5+ months. Based on past experience with inspectors and anything government related, these things can take months to get sorted out.
The upside is that we're planning to replace our 3-tab asphalt roofing with standing seam metal roofing which weighs less than half as much. So that can only be for the good. Let's hope there isn't some strange clause with L&I that says we can't upgrade to a better roof but have to stick with the old standby of asphalt...
Our contractor says he has done a lot of work with L & I, and manufactured home roof engineering in particular, so he ought to be quite familiar with the process.
So am I right on the eaves? Did manufactured homes ever come with 18" overhang back in the 80's ?
Thanks for the quick response, that sounds like a reasonable plan. It's a good thing our roof isn't leaking - yet. So we're not desperate to get this done. But it is the rainy season here, for the next 5+ months. Based on past experience with inspectors and anything government related, these things can take months to get sorted out.
The upside is that we're planning to replace our 3-tab asphalt roofing with standing seam metal roofing which weighs less than half as much. So that can only be for the good. Let's hope there isn't some strange clause with L&I that says we can't upgrade to a better roof but have to stick with the old standby of asphalt...
Our contractor says he has done a lot of work with L & I, and manufactured home roof engineering in particular, so he ought to be quite familiar with the process.
So am I right on the eaves? Did manufactured homes ever come with 18" overhang back in the 80's ?
Well this isn't conclusive on the house, but I checked the garage, and the eaves there (about 14" overhang) were not added, they were there from the start. Though I guess that isn't too surprising, since manufactured home builders didn't make attached garages, right? The top chord of the trusses goes right down to the end of the overhang, uninterrupted and unbroken - no sistering or joints or anything.
Wish I had access to the attic so I could see if the same is true of the house.
The top chord of the trusses goes right down to the end of the overhang, uninterrupted and unbroken - no sistering or joints or anything.Wish I had access to the attic so I could see if the same is true of the house.
I don't think I have ever seen a single wide with eaves. I have seen double wides with hinged eaves that fold up when the section is being transported and unfolded when it is set up.
Most Mobiles use a truss set up for the roof. With a raised ceiling you really don't have any "attic" space even if you did have access to the space. There are cutaway views of mobiles to give you an idea of what 99% of mobiles would look like.
Greg
Most Mobiles use a truss set up for the roof. With a raised ceiling you really don't have any "attic" space even if you did have access to the space. There are cutaway views of mobiles to give you an idea of what 99% of mobiles would look like.
Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Since it is a double wide home I would say eaves are part of the original structure. 14' wide units were being allowed for transport in the early to mid 70's. Half of your home would make it under that 14' wide limit with the eaves completely installed and not hinged as Greg mentioned. The hinged ones are easily picked out as the shingles have a bit of a hump to them about 12" - 24" up from the edge of the roof.
Our house is a double wide. Maybe they were folded as you suggest? Pity I can't contact the manufacturer anymore - they were right down the street from my work.
I'm not sure how a folding eave would work and still give you a properly sealed roof, though, unless the roof was all installed on-site after the eaves were folded into place. I don't think layers of asphalt shingles and tar paper take kindly to being folded, and the roof needs to be installed from the lower edge proceeding up to the peak... Somebody must have figured it out, though!
Dale, thanks for the feedback! As you say, we're still narrower than 14' (barely) for each half, with a total width of 24'. So each half would be 12' plus the roughly 18" eaves.
I'm not sure how a folding eave would work and still give you a properly sealed roof, though, unless the roof was all installed on-site after the eaves were folded into place. I don't think layers of asphalt shingles and tar paper take kindly to being folded, and the roof needs to be installed from the lower edge proceeding up to the peak... Somebody must have figured it out, though!
Dale, thanks for the feedback! As you say, we're still narrower than 14' (barely) for each half, with a total width of 24'. So each half would be 12' plus the roughly 18" eaves.
The hinged eaves were folded up onto the roof. A hinge was installed on each truss kind of like a mending or gusset plate. The installer of the home would have to install the felt and shingles on the eaves after they were hinged down off the roof and screwed into place. They would leave off the first several courses of shingles so they could ship the home. Although I have never hinged a soffit into place I have made many a roof repair to the roof and soffit assemblies over the years.
Dale,
Interesting, thanks for the explanation! I actually got out the ladder tonight, unscrewed the gable vents, and took a peak inside the attic. I still couldn't find any evidence that the eaves were added on, and didn't see anything like a hinge, either. I'll include a few pictures though, if I can. I discovered that there is a solid wall between the two halves of the house, from the ceiling to the roof peak - separating the front attic from the rear attic. All the static roof vents (which already inadequate) are on the back side of the house. So the gable vent is the only exhaust vent for the whole front half. There are vents on the roof for each of the bathroom fans and the kitchen range hood - but none of the ducts are connected between the fans and the vents! I can't even see the bathroom ducts, makes me wonder if they were ever there. So in any case, all the fans have just been venting into a poorly ventilated attic, not good. No wonder the roof isn't happy.
Interesting, thanks for the explanation! I actually got out the ladder tonight, unscrewed the gable vents, and took a peak inside the attic. I still couldn't find any evidence that the eaves were added on, and didn't see anything like a hinge, either. I'll include a few pictures though, if I can. I discovered that there is a solid wall between the two halves of the house, from the ceiling to the roof peak - separating the front attic from the rear attic. All the static roof vents (which already inadequate) are on the back side of the house. So the gable vent is the only exhaust vent for the whole front half. There are vents on the roof for each of the bathroom fans and the kitchen range hood - but none of the ducts are connected between the fans and the vents! I can't even see the bathroom ducts, makes me wonder if they were ever there. So in any case, all the fans have just been venting into a poorly ventilated attic, not good. No wonder the roof isn't happy.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
Norm Frechette
- Posts: 193
- Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 7:34 am
- Location: Norwich, CT
looks like some leaking going on in that third photo?
The eaves look factory to me and homes of your vintage with eaves are fairly common in my area. You did mention a porch attached to the mobile home's eave. This could be an issue. If the porch has at least 4 posts on an 8x8 pocrch or smaller, you are probably alright, depending on the build. What you don't want is a porch held up by posts on the outside and the mobile home on the inside. The porch needs to be freestanding. Sealing the joint with flashing is OK, but the porch shouldn't be structurally attached.
☯JD♫
Today is PERFECT!
All information and advice given is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The person doing the work is solely responsible to insure that their work complies with their local building code and OSHA safety regulations.
Today is PERFECT!
All information and advice given is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The person doing the work is solely responsible to insure that their work complies with their local building code and OSHA safety regulations.
Norm,
Would not surprise me a bit if we had a little leaking. Fortunately it's just a little - not like we're dripping from the ceiling and having to put buckets down in the wet season. Under that particular area, I've never seen any evidence that it's even getting onto the ceiling, though who knows how wet the fiberglass insulation is...
JD,
Thanks for the feedback! I read that you are the roofing expert around here, so I've been going through a lot of related posts lately. The porch and it's roof are 8' x 8'. Currently, there are only two posts, holding up the front two corners of the porch roof. The rear of the porch roof is tied into the eaves, and the porch roof is tied into the main roof. If we ended up having to add two posts on the rear, I don't think that would be a big deal. However, it would be interesting disconnecting the structure from the house. But now would be the time to do it, while we're having a new roof put on. It did seem odd to me to have a porch attached thusly, but it's been fine for the past 28 years or so. It probably helps that in these parts, the ground really never freezes (or almost never - maybe once every 20 years). I can send a picture a bit later.
Would not surprise me a bit if we had a little leaking. Fortunately it's just a little - not like we're dripping from the ceiling and having to put buckets down in the wet season.
Under that particular area, I've never seen any evidence that it's even getting onto the ceiling, though who knows how wet the fiberglass insulation is...JD,
Thanks for the feedback! I read that you are the roofing expert around here, so I've been going through a lot of related posts lately.
The porch and it's roof are 8' x 8'. Currently, there are only two posts, holding up the front two corners of the porch roof. The rear of the porch roof is tied into the eaves, and the porch roof is tied into the main roof. If we ended up having to add two posts on the rear, I don't think that would be a big deal. However, it would be interesting disconnecting the structure from the house. But now would be the time to do it, while we're having a new roof put on. It did seem odd to me to have a porch attached thusly, but it's been fine for the past 28 years or so. It probably helps that in these parts, the ground really never freezes (or almost never - maybe once every 20 years). I can send a picture a bit later.-
1987Commodore
- Posts: 383
- Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:53 pm
- Location: Steuben County, NY
You for sure have had lots of condensation buildup on the underside of the roof. You already know that you need to install proper venting asap. It would be best to properly install soffit vents with a ridge vent, or at least vents high up on the roof. If you can, remove the bathroom vents from the roof and run them out the gable ends, if they are anywhere close. The bathroom vent going straight up through the roof makes a great chimney for your heat to escape.
A plus is that your roof deck is plywood, rather than osb.
A plus is that your roof deck is plywood, rather than osb.
1987Commodore,
Yep, the plan is to add a ridge vent and dramatically increase the square inches of intake venting under the eaves. Right now I calculate only about one square foot of intake vent area at the eaves. In theory, you're supposed to have at least as much intake vent area as exhaust vent area, and the ridge vent is going to add 8-12 square feet! Some say it's better to have even more intake area than exhaust. So there's definitely room for improvement. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do about the bathroom exhausts right now - can't get in the attic and there aren't any ducts, anyway. It'd be a very long run to send the bathroom fans out either of the gable ends. The plan is to get insulated ducts for all fans, and use the proper vent on the roof. At this point, the damage has pretty much already been done, don't think we're going to save any more plywood in the next month or two that isn't already gone. I did see some OSB, maybe from a previous repair, but couldn't see more than a few sheets of it, the rest all seems to be plywood.
Regarding the front porch, I'll include a few pictures. As you'll see, the back of the porch sits on a ledger attached to the side of the house, and the porch joists are connected to the 4x4 posts which hold up the front of the roof. The (treated) posts actually aren't in concrete footers - they're just sitting in the ground. So maybe the theory was that if the house moves, the whole porch/roof structure will move with the house. In 25+ years, you would have thought there'd be some evidence of a problem, something showing they're not moving together, but I don't see it. I'm not usually one to fix things that aren't broken, so I'm not sure about the benefit of reengineering the whole structure to make it totally separate from the house. Seems like that would make it very tricky to look even remotely as nice as it does now, at least the roof portion.
Yep, the plan is to add a ridge vent and dramatically increase the square inches of intake venting under the eaves. Right now I calculate only about one square foot of intake vent area at the eaves. In theory, you're supposed to have at least as much intake vent area as exhaust vent area, and the ridge vent is going to add 8-12 square feet! Some say it's better to have even more intake area than exhaust. So there's definitely room for improvement. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do about the bathroom exhausts right now - can't get in the attic and there aren't any ducts, anyway. It'd be a very long run to send the bathroom fans out either of the gable ends. The plan is to get insulated ducts for all fans, and use the proper vent on the roof. At this point, the damage has pretty much already been done, don't think we're going to save any more plywood in the next month or two that isn't already gone.
I did see some OSB, maybe from a previous repair, but couldn't see more than a few sheets of it, the rest all seems to be plywood.Regarding the front porch, I'll include a few pictures. As you'll see, the back of the porch sits on a ledger attached to the side of the house, and the porch joists are connected to the 4x4 posts which hold up the front of the roof. The (treated) posts actually aren't in concrete footers - they're just sitting in the ground. So maybe the theory was that if the house moves, the whole porch/roof structure will move with the house. In 25+ years, you would have thought there'd be some evidence of a problem, something showing they're not moving together, but I don't see it. I'm not usually one to fix things that aren't broken, so I'm not sure about the benefit of reengineering the whole structure to make it totally separate from the house. Seems like that would make it very tricky to look even remotely as nice as it does now, at least the roof portion.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
1987Commodore
- Posts: 383
- Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 9:53 pm
- Location: Steuben County, NY
That looks like a very nice spot. I wouldn't worry about the porch, as it has been there so long without problems. What you should do is make sure water can't get between the ledger and rim joist. It can rot out easily there.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
-
Legal to remove eaves and gable ends???
by Greensteve52 » Mon Jul 29, 2019 9:11 pm » in Mobile Home Repair - 2 Replies
- 3254 Views
-
Last post by Greensteve52
Mon Aug 05, 2019 9:06 am
-