The roof is the most important part of any building regardless of its type, build, and size. Since mobile homes have smaller roof areas than most conventional houses, mobile homes have often flat roofs and are made of one layer of shingles. They can be less expensive, lighter, and easier to maintain.
Sarasota Mobile Home
When looking at buying a mobile home within the Sarasota Florida area it is important to understand what condition the roof of the home is in before moving forward with the purchase of your new home.
Mobile home roofs are one of the most expensive repairs that will need to eventually be done on a mobile home and it is important that you, as the Buyer understand the condition and possible issues with this important component of your new mobile home before purchasing.
Mobile home roofs usually have a 20 or so year life span when coming from the factory. The age of life can be extended several years if the owner(s) of the home have taken great care of it over the years. Like with anything, the life span of a mobile home roof can be cut dramatically short if the previous owner(s) have done little if any upkeep to the roof during the time the home has been lived in.
The way mobile home roofs can have a longer life span is if the area where the mobile home is located has been free of major storms, high winds, and hurricanes. While mobile home roofs are sturdy in theory and are built to the local weather specifications of the factory where the home was built any additional stress that is put on the home could wear the roof out early.
It is important to always seal the roof of a mobile home every few years. Sealing the roof of the home is a simple process where a thin layer of coating is applied to the roof insuring that an additional layer of protection is put down on the roof that will help the roof withstand the elements of the heat, sun and rain that we see every year down here in South Florida.
Failing to keep up on the roof sealing along with the addition of bad weather on a yearly basis could wear the roof out faster than the usual 20 or so years that a mobile home roof should last when leaving the factory.
Below are 3 things you, as the new mobile home Buyer, need to take a look at when inspecting your new mobile home:
- Coffee Stains On Ceilings
“Coffee Stains” is a slang term that is used within the mobile home industry and is used to describe the look of when there is a wet spot that has come through the roof and has dripped into the ceiling paneling. Once it has hit the ceiling paneling and dried these leaks look like coffee stains one sees on a piece of clothing.
When there is a wet spot that dried on the ceiling, it is clear evidence that there is a leak on the roof. The hole on the roof might not be parallel to the wet spot as water could flow from the top and drip on other areas of the ceiling. This means that a repair is needed on both roof and the ceiling
Mobile Home for Sale in Florida
2 Mold Around The Ceiling Line
Mold can grow if there is a leak from that roof that gets into the ceiling and is then not treated. There are several different kinds of mold but the most common we, at The Mobile Home Dealer, see is black mold around the perimeter of where the ceiling meets the wall paneling. Another way to detect mold is a smell of dank wetness that permeates throughout the entire room or home of where there has been a roof leak.
Molds on the ceiling are costly to repair because one cannot identify how big the damage on the ceiling is by just looking under.
3. Ruffled Wall Paneling
When walking through a mobile home always look if the home has paneling on the walls and it is starting to ruffle. If you see this make sure you run your hand along it to see how deep the ruffles are and if you feel moisture as this could be a sign that water is in the walls and pushing the paneling out which can cause the ruffle you see in the wall paneling.
When looking at purchasing a mobile home it is important to always know what you are looking for and what you are looking at.
Understanding a few basic signs of when there could be a roof leak will help you as the mobile home Buyer identify issues that could lead to much larger and more expensive problems down the road. Having this knowledge on the front end could very well lead to you avoiding a home with major roof issues that could cost you several thousand dollars to fix!
Living under a roof free of defects and leaks will not only provide safety for you and your family but can also demand a higher selling price when you decide to sell your mobile home in the future.
When inspecting a roof, there are several things you need to look at in order to ensure its integrity. The first thing you need to check is the condition of the shingles. If they are cracked, missing, or otherwise damaged, they will need to be replaced. You also need to check for any leaks around chimneys or skylights. If you find any, they will need to be repaired before the roof can be considered safe.
Additionally, you need to check the gutters and downspouts to make sure they are clear and free of debris. This is important because clogged gutters can cause water to back up and damage the roof.
Finally, you should inspect the flashing around the edges of the roof. If it is damaged, it will need to be replaced in order to prevent water from leaking into the home.
There are other many things to check when buying a mobile home and we have other articles and videos that discuss these things
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:
- Do Cold Fronts Affect Sarasota Mobile Home Sales?
- 3 Ways To Prolong Your Sarasota Mobile Home AC Components!
- When Has The Plumbing Been Replaced In Your Sarasota Florida Mobile Home?
- Want To Sell Your Sarasota Florida Mobile Home But Owe Back Lot Rent?
- 3 Reasons Why Selling Your Sarasota Mobile Home On Your Own Is A Bad Idea