Mobile homes offer affordable, comfortable living options, but they require specific maintenance to ensure their longevity. One of the most critical maintenance tasks is regular releveling. When a mobile home settles unevenly over time, it can lead to structural damage and costly repairs. Let’s explore why releveling is essential and how it contributes to your home’s durability.
Why Mobile Homes Settle
Mobile homes typically rest on pier and beam foundations rather than continuous concrete foundations. Over time, soil shifts, moisture levels change, and these movements cause the home to settle unevenly. This natural process can be accelerated by poor initial setup, inadequate drainage around the home, or extreme weather conditions.
Signs Your Home Needs Releveling
Don’t wait until major problems develop. Watch for early warning signs including doors that stick or won’t close properly, windows that become difficult to open, visible cracks in walls (particularly around door frames), uneven floors where you can feel a slope, and cabinets that won’t stay closed. These symptoms indicate your home has settled unevenly and needs professional attention.
The Releveling Process
Professional relevelers use hydraulic jacks to carefully lift the home, adjust or replace deteriorated supports, ensure proper leveling across all sections, and securely anchor the structure. This process requires precision to avoid damaging the home’s frame or interior features. While some homeowners attempt DIY releveling, the risk of structural damage makes professional service the safer choice.
Benefits of Regular Maintenance
Scheduling releveling every 3-5 years provides numerous benefits: it prevents structural damage to the frame, stops water from pooling under your home, improves energy efficiency by eliminating drafts from warped doors and windows, extends the life of your plumbing systems, and ultimately preserves your home’s value.
Investing in regular releveling is one of the smartest decisions you can make as a mobile home owner. This relatively inexpensive maintenance significantly extends your home’s lifespan and helps avoid costly repairs down the road.