Window and Ceiling questions

[Paula]

We bought a 2004 Skyline DW last October and had it custom built to have as a vacation home. We spent some time there last winter and the windows felt drafty and when I talked to the repair person about it, he said it was "normal". We spent the last weekend in our MH and it was cold at night...in the upper teens/low 20s in central Wisconsin. The heat didn't kick on often (makes me happy) and the temp was comfortable at 65*. When we got up in the morning, there was condensation on the glass of the double pane windows on the inside of the house (not between the panes of glass) right above the sash and along the bottom of the window frame on the glass. They were still drafty as well. Is this really "normal"? We have a thermometer indoors that also measures humidity levels and it was between 45% and 50% the entire time we were there.

Also, we have had problems with ceiling cracks in the corners of the skylight in the kitchen and master bath, as well as a fairly wide crack that went from the marriage wall to the outer wall, through 2 closets. What causes these? We are on piers that are under a concrete slab with the blocking done above the piers, so I don't think the foundation has shifted at all. We had to have the location of each pier marked through the slab so the set up crew knew where the piers were located. Skyline sent out a repair crew to fix the cracks and they cut out small sections of the ceiling where the cracks were and put wood reinforcements in before putting the drywall back up. We had a large crack earlier in the year that they came to fix over the island in the kitchen from one of the recessed light fixtures and it has been okay since the fix. Should we be concerned? This is our first "brand new home", stick built or otherwise, and aren't sure what kinds of problems should be considered normal or not.

All in all, we're very happy with our Skyline and have received many compliments on it. It seems to be insulated well as the heat doesn't come on very often, nor does it stay on long when it does come on.

Paula

[Mark]

The windows likely are not caulked, caulk around them and the draft/condesation should stop.

That humidity level is fine, a bit higher than I like, but it's an acceptable indoor level for the winter.

Homes settle, no matter what the foundation is. You can't put 30-40 tons on something and expect it not to move at all. Usually, any cracking will happen immediately after the home is set, and then within a few months after that.
If you still get cracking, especially say, every winter, then the foundation may very well be shifting due to frost.

[trmimo]

I agree that the humidity is slightly high. I would ask the factory to come out and reinsulate the window jambs. It sounds like they did not stuff enough insulation in the small gap between the window frame and the wall. I have found this to be a common complaint with many customers and the factory should have no problem taking care of it for you. And no, it is not normal, just because it is common doesn't mean they shouldn't take care of it. This can be corrected quickly and will improve the comfort of your home (and your heating bill).
Did the ceiling crack anywhere after the initial repair? If not , the cracks were probably transportation related. It is very common to have ceiling cracks at the corners of skylights and recessed flourescent lights caused by transportation and installation stress. It sounds like they found a problem with the long crack. If you are not seeing new cracks you probably don't have anything to worry about. If you do have new cracks, you may have some settling or frost heave.

[paula]

To caulk the windows, would we just caulk around the outside of the window frame?

We did have some cracks in the ceiling initially and the first tme someone came out, they put some latex something-or-other over them since they weren't very big, but the cracks came back. Then, we had someone else out to fix a real big crack and caulk some of the smaller cracks that were coming back. The big fix they made hasn't come back yet, but the smaller ones have and have grown, so that was what they fixed the other weekend.

Our home is set on piers that go down about 4' (I think that's what they were) and a concrete slab over that, then the cinderblock that they use to block the home with. The home was set over Halloween 2003, so this is our 2nd winter with it. Should we have the dealer come out and re-level the home?

Thanks for your helpful advice!

Paula

[Paula]

They'll have to remove the trim to put more insulation in, right? That shouldn't be too big of a job for them. I'll get in touch with the dealer and have them get in touch with Skyline (that's how I've been requesting repairs so far). I'm just afraid that since we're not there all the time in winter that mold will become a problem with the condensation on the inside of the window frame and I don't want my beautiful home to get damaged.

I agree that the cracks are transportation related as they were there when we did our initial walk-through. The first people they sent out just put something over them to cover them up and they came back. Those were the cracks we had fixed the other weekend. There was a huge crack that came back sooner that was fixed over Memorial weekend. Hopefully we won't have anymore trouble with cracks since they were out to fix them last.

Thanks for your helpful advice!

Paula

[trmimo]

Yes, they will have to remove some window trim. But, it is not a big job and I'm sure whoever comes out will have done it before.

Sounds to me like your cracks were transportation related and the recracking was from poor repairs.
If you don't see new cracks, and all doors and windows still work well your house has probably not settled.
The best way to control the moisture is to run your bathroom vent fans. This will reduce the condensation on the windows and the humidity in the house. Once the cold air problem is fixed I suspect the condensation will diminish or go away. You see the draft you feel is also cooling the warm side of the window glass causing the humidity in the house to condense on the glass.

[Patrick Ratajczak]

I have the same problem with window condensation and air leaks around them as well as windows cracking because of it. I have chaulked them, added storm windows on the inside and the problems still exist. Today was the worst with it being -20 degrees with the wind and am exhausted from trying everything I can to fix the problem.

The home is a 1994 Wick/Rollohome and have had it checked for leveling and am told it is fine, but the problems seem to get worse each year. My storm door freeze up, my closet doors stick as well as close themselves at times. My new laminate flooring is beginning to warp and am not happy about that. I live in a park and am told that the house is level and fine which I disagree since my skirts pop from the ground rising as well as my sidewalks stand 2 inches above the house causing the bottom of the skirting to disappear in the ground.

I have tried everything and am at the point to get rid of the thing and move into a normal home that is on a foundation versus a park setting where the park could care less about it's renters. I have tried three mobile home repair places explaining the issues with walls cracking and such without a sensible reply. My humidity level during the winter months is between 30 and 40 and still windows are soaked through and storm doors freeze up with ice. I live in Wisconsin near Fond du lac and feel that the businesses around here who should be knowledgeable in regards to manufactured homes, "Know nothing."

I can relate with you on your problems and hope you get some sort of resolution that is better then the one I am getting.

[Terry]

Patrick, just sent you an email-Wick is in Marshfield Wisconsin. Factory people are the best to come out and make repairs. Contact them and I am sure they will help. Wick is the product of choice for me and they have made some fantastic homes of late. Check out the possibility of trading your home in. That is what I am going to do. They have a library modular plan that is really neat and a 3 bedroom double with a family room that has a direct vent gas fireplace and a den with french doors and built in pc desk. Woohooo!!!!