Inspection & Writing Assignment:
In the state of Washington the requirements for changing or altering a mobile/manufactured home are covered under state of Washington Administrative Code WAC 296- 150M-0410. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industry is responsible for over sight and inforcement of these rules. If changes or alterations are made to a manufactued home, permits are issued by L&I and subsequent inspections of the work are also performed by L&I.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Inspectin for proper function of bathroom ventilation is a necessary part of a compleat bathroom inspection. Proper vetilation of a bathroom lowers indoor humidity and reduces the risk of mold and milldue. Proper fan function also goes beyond is the fan working. Proper vetilation of the fan exaust to the exterior of the home is also key.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The front porch is constructed of pressure treated material and is free standing. The spindles spacing is improper which is a safety issue. Spindles are spaced at eight inch intervals which is considered a safety issue. Proper spacing should not be greater than four inches between spindles.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The crawlspace vapor barrier should consist of 6 mil black plastic. Coverage should extend from wall to wall and extend up foundation walls/piers. Vapor barrier should be secured to foundation walls/piers with a sealant and/or anchors. All vapor barrier joints should overlap at least six inches.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Manufactured home are required to be tied down per manufacturer specifications. You can see the tie down anchors into a footing as to keep the home down in high winds. There are specific requirement for tie down location in each manufactured home.
Research & Writing Assignment:
When choosing a manufactured home there are many things to ask yourself. What features are available? What financing options are available? What other costs can I expect to pay? What types of maintenance will I need to be aware of.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
I just completed the manufactured home course. The underside of these homes have many items that need to be kept in good condition for thr longevity of the structure. This home had several areas that the plastic barrier had been cut open and had never been repaired. This allows vermin to enter, exposes plumbing to freezing temperatures, reduces the effectiveness of the insulation. Any time repairs are made the barrier should be repaired to like new comdition.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I studied the manufactured home and standards article and it brought back memories since last year my wife and I purchased a lot in a gated community in Florida. We chose a builder and visited the factory to watch the building process. These homes are built very well with many strict standards involved. Our home is 28 x 56 and has 6 rows of piers that each have a ground anchor strap in place. It also has several angle iron pieces attached to the frame and to the underlying concrete pad. The whole experience was very enlightening.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This image shows the tie downs which are unique to foundation systems installed under manufactured homes. These tie downs are found throughout the crawl space. They are wrapped around the chassis and attached to anchors in the ground. These straps help keep the home in place when wind and other forces act to move the home off its foundation.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Modular vs. manufactured homes. Modular homes are more like site-built homes and are assembled in sections using cranes. They are treated the same as a site-built home as far as building code and lending is concerned. Also, they have been shown to be stronger than site-built homes in resisting weather damage due to extra strength needed to withstand transport to the build site.
Manufactured homes, on the other hand, are built on a steel chassis which is never removed and are treated differently by lenders. Manufactured homes are never more than one story and are built only to HUB building standards.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Electric Furnace Lennox Manufacture approximately 1970. Power is supplied via three separate 240volt circuits from a subpanel located in the laundry room. The circuits have overcurrent protection via individual circuit breakers of 60 amps, 60 amps and 30 amps. The electrical heating elements are back fend through like amperage breakers located within the furnace cabinet. The overcurrent protection is consistent with the maximum circuit ampacities listed on the manufactures label.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Emergency egress windows are required to provide 5.7 sq. ft. of openable space when located such that the window is not accessible from the grade level. 5.0 sq. ft. openable space when accessible from grade level. Window dimensions can vary but the minimum width is 20 inches and the minimum height is 24 inches.
Research & Writing Assignment:
There are many things to be considered when choosing a Manufactured Home. Design and size are 2 of the more obvious and important. Interior and exterior features are also important decisions that need to be made. However, the most impactful decision will be the cost. How much are you willing to pay for the Manufactured Home of your dreams?
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
During the inspection of a home, the inspector should verify the required locations for smoke alarms. The inspector should also make sure all smoke protection is in working order. There should be at least one detector to protect both the living area and kitchen space. The other required location is one each in each room designed for sleeping.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
When and plan on a you buy a manufactured or “Mobile home” and you are planning to add a garage. A garage must be free standing of the manufactured home, built with local codes and may be attached to the mobile home for sealing purposes only. do not use the support of the manufactured home to support the garage.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Since June 15th 1976, all manufactured homes have been constructed to meet the federal building standards adopted by HUD. This national code is called the National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. The code regulates manufactured home design and construction, strength and durability, fire-resistance, and energy-efficiency. It also set performance standards for the heating, plumbing, air conditioning, thermal, and electrical systems. The National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Every manufactured home has a data plate which includes who the manufacturer was and their address, the date it was built,the model and serial number, and the fact that it was built to the current safety standards as of the manufacture date.
Research & Writing Assignment:
A HUD certification label is affixed to each manufactured home. The label is separate and distinct from the data plate. The label is 2 x 4 inches in size and contains a 6 digit number supplied by the label maker.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Tie downs under a mobile home are essential for when high winds occur. Proper tie downs can resist 3105 pounds of horizontal pressure. You can only see these if you crawl the entire crawl space which must have an opening of 18 by 24 inches.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Mobile homes are now called manufactured homes as only a small percentage are actually moved anymore. Manufactured homes are actually well built as they are built inside a warehouse like environment and must meet very specific building standards and require a certificate that these standards were met during construction.
