5 Preventative Measures That Will Keep You & Your Mobile Home Safe

It’s human to feel immune to catastrophe. We’ve all been there. You think something will never happen to you until it does. Unfortunately, bad things can happen to your mobile home too. 

The best thing you can do about it is to try to prevent as many potential issues as you can.

To do this, keep in mind that different seasons come with different threats. So here are five preventative measures you can take for the sake of yourself and your mobile home.

1 – Precautions for heaters

If you live in an environment like Michigan, it will probably be nigh on impossible to go through fall and winter without any heaters. You can use them to make your home much more comfortable and livable.

But there are risks involved with this increased use. They are possible fire hazards. In fact, statistics show that fire departments respond to 52,050 fires a year which involve heating equipment from 2012-2016.

The following measures can help keep you safe: 

• First, you should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the appliances.
• The leading cause for these fires is placing them close to flammable materials. For example, keep them away from clothing, bedding, upholstered furniture, and mattresses.
• Never leave heaters unattended. Plus always provide adult supervision for children and animals.
• Don’t use heating appliances with an extension cord. Instead, plug them directly into electrical sockets.
• Replace or clean, dirty, and clogged heater filters.

2 – Put a plug in it

Even tiny holes on your mobile home exterior can cause big problems. These gaps can leave you more exposed to the elements. Therefore they can let cold air, dust and even bugs in. But they can also increase the chance of problems with damp.

The risks are at the highest during winter and fall. So this is the perfect time to take these preventative steps.

• Inspect the walls of your home for any crack or hole. Pay extra attention to openings and entry points like windows and doors.
• Apply to caulk to any gaps between your siding or paneling and window frames. Do the same for doorways too. The filling will shrink over time. So you need to repeat this every few years.
• Besides this, you can use caulk to fill any holes in your drywall too. But if the gap is too wide, you might need to replace the section.
• Install weather stripping around entry doors.

Remember that plugging any holes will help you save energy and keep your home nice and warm.

3 – Deter unwanted animals

Some larger animals might prefer to hibernate or sleep from most of the winter. But other animals might want to seek shelter, warmth, and extra food during the fall and winter months.

They can be more than just a nuisance. In some cases, they might cause damage to you, your pets, and your property. Therefore, it can be safer for everyone and everything involved to try to deter them.

• Seal off any openings, especially to your home’s underbelly and attic where they might try to make nests or dens.
• Install a screen around your porch to keep them away.
• Don’t leave any food, including pet food outside.
• Securely close trash cans. Or if possible, place them inside or in an enclosed area of your yard.
• Check that there aren’t any gaps or holes in your fence.
• Make a homemade animal repellent and spray it around openings to your yard or home.

4 – Fire safety

Unfortunately, electrical heaters aren’t the only potential fire hazard in a mobile home. For example, another leading cause is problems with cooking equipment.

The following are general measures you can take to keep you and your home safe from fire:

• People use more appliances at one time during winter and fall. So you can reduce the risk of electrical fires by not overloading sockets. Try to spread out the load as much as you can.
• Always keep a working fire extinguisher on hand.
• Test your smoke alarms to make sure they are functioning properly.
• You should thoroughly clean fireplaces and chimneys. And make sure nothing is blocking them.
• On top of this, keep firewood and kindling. Any stray spark can set off a blaze so keep them away from any flame or heat source.

5 – Protect your plumbing

Much of mobile home plumbing is installed in its underbelly. Therefore, they are more exposed to the elements than those of conventional houses. This means that water can freeze in the pipes.

First, this can cause damage to and stop water heaters and steam radiators from working. Secondly, if enough pressure builds up, the pipes could even burst and lead to a whole host of problems.

Here are some tips to help:

• Clear out and turn off any exterior faucets as well as your sprinkler systems before the frost sets in.
• Apply heat tapes to the pipes.
• Repair the home’s skirting and install insulation in the underbelly.
• Replace copper and metal pipes with plastic ones.

Check off your list

Don’t be caught off guard (if you can help it). Yes, you can’t prepare for everything, but that is all the more reason to do what you can. You will thank yourself later for taking these preventative measures to protect you and your mobile home.

The cold weather can be harsh all around. That’s why it can help to take a look at how to prepare your mobile home landscaping for winter.