Hey Guys! We’re back again for another discussion on mobile home soft spots that could be a problem.
Today, we will discuss how to avoid getting those pesky soft spots in the first place. But first, let’s review what soft spots are in mobile home floors so that we’re all caught up and on the same page before moving forward.
Mobile home soft spots occur when a portion of the floor gets wet and begins to swell, eventually causing a hole in the wood floor.
This can happen through an appliance that is running, a pipe under the home that has burst, or several liquid spills in the same general area that were not cleaned up quickly. Over time, the liquid will soak through the flooring and get to the wood subfloor, which causes it to begin to cave in on itself. If this is not treated quickly and efficiently, the wood floor will eventually sag so far that it will cause a hole in the middle of your mobile home floor!
Another common way to create soft spots is when a pipe under the home bursts and the water sprays on the underside of the floor, causing a soft spot from the bottom up.
This will often happen without even the owner knowing it’s going on!
Now that we have everyone up to speed on the basics of a soft spot in a mobile home floor, let’s discuss how to avoid them in the first place!
When discussing the most common soft spots, the ones that start from the top and then go down to the subfloor, we need to mention the obvious fix:
If you spill something, clean it up!
Generally speaking, a liquid spill will not create a soft spot, as it will have to soak through the over-flooring, which could be carpet, wood, or laminate, to get to the subfloor, where the soft spot will eventually occur.
Mobile homes
We all grew up learning something very simple: if you spill something, clean it up!
Another familiar soft spot to avoid is the ones happening from a running appliance.
This can be done from a refrigerator, a bathtub, or a toilet.
As preventative maintenance, ensure you check that all of these items were correctly installed and sealed, as this is one of the most common issues we see with them. These house fixtures just were not installed properly from the start, which led to water issues without the owner even knowing.
The last common way to avoid those soft spots is by turning off the main water valve at the back of the house. I have seen that for this preventative maintenance to work best, remember to shut off the water if you will be out of the home for more than a few days, for sure a week or more.
Soft spots can also develop due to a lack of regular cleaning, especially those portions under the carpet. So, to prevent soft spots, we prepared some basic tips on how to clean and maintain your floor.
Tips for eliminating the spots on your mobile home floors
We know that cleaning the house can be exhausting most of the time. Cleaning bathrooms and carpets can be exhausting, and we know that kitchen floors are usually one of the most demanding because they are used a lot and are the most likely to get dirty or stained.
This time, we will explain how to keep the floors of your kitchen in optimal conditions for longer, give you some tips on cleaning the floors, and discuss how to wash, disinfect, and polish these surfaces.
1. For the daily cleaning of the floor, we recommend that you do not use any chemicals since they can easily spoil the floor if we use them a lot. Instead, use a soft bristle brush to apply the mixture with a bit of soap and warm water, wait a few minutes, and then dry the area with a dry cloth.
2. There is a wide variety of chemicals for disinfecting floors,; among them, we have to find the appropriate product for the type of your mobile home floor.
3. The floors may always be stained, and these imperfections require more than water and soap. Depending on the source of the stain, it can be easily fixed.
4. Wet spots, humidity spots, or mold often appear due to the presence of water, and they can easily be cleaned with warm water and detergent.
5. Food stains: If your floors have organic spots, you can remove them with a little ammonia. Just put some ammonia on the stain, let it act all night, and in the morning, clean the surface with soap and warm water.
6. For oil spots, immediately clean the oil with a cloth or a napkin and add some talc or flour to the damaged area. Then, wash the surface with soap and water.
7. Shoes or dirt spots: At this point, we recommend mixing water and hydrogen peroxide to clean the dirt. Then, use dishes to remove the final stain and leave the ground impeccable.
8. Oxidized spots: To eliminate oxide, special products must be used. Look for those specific to your floor type. For these products, performing tests in areas with little visibility is recommended.
I hope these basic tips have helped you better understand how to minimize your exposure to soft spots so that you can have a safe, dry floor in your mobile home for years to come.
This is Mark Kaiser with The Mobile Home Dealer and we help mobile home buyers and sellers get to a better place in life.
See Also:
- Sarasota Mobile Home Industry Update!
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- What Paper Work Is Needed To Sell A Sarasota Mobile Home?
- What Does It Mean In Sarasota To Be “Park Approved”?